This Week in the News

13,099 Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Homicide Loose on the Streets

Fox News wrote on September 27:

Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with sex offenses and homicide convictions are loose on the streets, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data provided to lawmakers this week… The data, as of July 2024, is broken down by those in detention, and those who are not in detention — known as the non-detained docket.  The non-detained docket includes illegal immigrants who have final orders of removal or are going through removal proceedings but are not detained in ICE custody. There are currently more than 7 million people on that docket. The data says that, among those not in detention, there are 425,431 convicted criminals and 222,141 with pending criminal charges.

“Those include 62,231 convicted of assault, 14,301 convicted of burglary, 56,533 with drug convictions and 13,099 convicted of homicide. An additional 2,521 have kidnapping convictions and 15,811 have sexual assault convictions. 

“There are an additional 1,845 with pending homicide charges, 42,915 with assault charges, 3,266 with burglary charges and 4,250 with assault charges…”

Trump has been ridiculed and maligned for consistently stating that many illegal aliens entering the USA are murderers and rapists. After all, he was right. The actual numbers might be much higher than the ones listed above.

Convicted Illegal Immigrants in the USA

CBS News wrote on September 30:

“… a letter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [which was] recently shared with Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales… contained figures on immigrants with criminal records being tracked by ICE but not detained by the agency… many of the convicted criminals described in the letter have been in the U.S. for a long time, before the Biden administration took office, according to government data and officials. Some are still in federal or state custody serving criminal sentences and are likely to be arrested by ICE. And others cannot be deported because their home countries won’t take them back or they received legal relief from deportation in immigration court.

“… The number of non-detained docket cases has ballooned under the Biden administration, fueled by the release of millions of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years. ICE is currently tracking roughly 7.7 million non-detained cases, up from 3.3 million in fiscal year 2020…

“ICE efforts to arrest immigrants accused or convicted of crimes are often frustrated by jurisdictions with so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Some communities, for example, do not honor requests from ICE to hold individuals longer so the agency can pick them up and take them into custody… ICE sometimes has to release immigrants who have been ordered deported by a judge, often because of a criminal conviction, simply because their home country won’t accept them. Additionally, some immigrants, even those convicted of serious crimes, can have their deportation deferred if immigration judges determine they would likely be tortured or persecuted in their home countries…”

The End of Democracy?

Media ITE wrote on September 29:

“Elon Musk claimed Sunday that electing former President Donald Trump in November is the ‘only way’ to save the country from the tyranny of Democrats and illegal migrants. He wrote on X:

“‘Very few Americans realize that, if Trump is NOT elected, this will be the last election. Far from being a threat to democracy, he is the only way to save it! Let me explain: if even 1 in 20 illegals become citizens per year, something that the Democrats are expediting as fast as humanly possible, that would be about 2 million new legal voters in 4 years. The voting margin in the swing states is often less than 20 thousand votes. That means if the “Democratic” Party succeeds, there will be no more swing states!! Moreover, the Biden/Harris administration has been flying “asylum seekers”, who are fast-tracked to citizenship, directly into swing states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Arizona. It is a surefire way to win every election.

“‘America then becomes a one-party state and Democracy is over. The only “elections” will be the Democratic Party primaries. This already happened in California many years ago, following the 1986 amnesty. The only thing holding California back from extreme socialism and suffocating government policies is that people can leave California and still remain in America. Once the whole country is controlled by one party, there will be no escape. Everywhere in America will be like the nightmare that is downtown San Francisco.’”

This is a frightening but not improbable scenario. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Sunday that will bar local authorities from requiring photo ID to vote.

“Ridiculous ‘Fact Check’ of a True Statement During CBS Vance-Walz VP Debate”

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on October 1:

“Sen. JD Vance was accurately describing the migrant crisis fueled by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden when CBS moderator Margaret Brennan decided to insert herself with a ‘fact check.’ ‘Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status,’ she said smugly.

“Vance was rightly annoyed by the interruption and said, ‘The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check, and since you’re fact-checking me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on.’ He then proceeded to truthfully, forcefully explain what ‘legal status’ means: ‘So there’s an application called the CBP One app, where you can go on as an illegal migrant, apply for asylum or apply for parole, and be granted legal status at the wave of a Kamala Harris open border wand.’ At which point CBS decided to CUT OFF HIS MIC.

“This was the most shameful moment in a long history of shameful moments by moderators biased against Republicans. They ‘fact-checked’ the truth, then stopped the politician from responding. It was made all the more partisan by the fact that when Gov. Tim Walz told the howler that ‘illegal border crossings are down compared to when Donald Trump left office,’ which is not even close to true, no one let out of a peep. Some ‘facts’ are too good to check…

“What Vance was explaining is absolutely, verifiably correct. There is no congressional authorization for the Biden-Harris administration to simply allow 1,000 people a day, 365,000 a year, to just walk across the border. Moreover, asylum law requires that seekers apply in the first safe country they enter. The White House is ignoring that rule. Venezuelans can walk through a half-dozen nations where they could apply for asylum, and they still let them apply here. They aren’t required to remain in Mexico while their applications are processed, as former President Donald Trump required…

“So yes, the Haitians of Springfield have ‘legal status.’ But that’s only because Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are ignoring the law.”

That was by far not the only problem with the moderators of the Vance-Walz debate. Tim Walz was not taken to task when he incorrectly claimed that he did not sign a bill allowing abortions after birth; no questions were asked about his falsified record as a soldier; and no really pertinent questions were even asked about Russia and Ukraine.

Worse yet, they brought up the January 6 incident, falsely claiming that all courts had ruled that there was no evidence of fraud. The truth is, most courts did not even address the substance of the case—they dismissed causes of actions on procedural grounds such as lack of standing—and the few courts which did address substance limited their judgments to strictly local occurrences in a particular state, but not the USA as a whole. The verdict on HOW much the election was rigged is still out. It has been rightly observed that the Vance-Walz debate was again three against one (as had been the case in the previous debate between Trump and Harris). Still, it has been overwhelmingly stated that Vance won the debate.

The Costs of the Port Strike

inc.com wrote on October 2:

“Analysts at J.P. Morgan calculated that the strike that shut down ports from Maine to Texas could cost the U.S. economy between $3.8 billion to $4.5 billion for each day they remain closed. Roughly 45,000 dock workers walked off the job at 36 ports when the clock struck midnight on Tuesday when their contract expired. Negotiations have reportedly stalled for months over wages… For each day the workers strike, estimates suggest that supply chains could face an additional five to seven days of congestion as goods are rerouted to open ports in other regions of the country, namely the West Coast. Assuming those ports stay open…

“Many are concerned that the snarled supply chains the nation experienced in 2021 could resurface, along with the price increases that such disruptions may bring. Goods such as bananas, cherries, chocolate, and alcohol could be in short supply if the strike becomes protracted… As of now, Biden has chosen not to step in. The president, who has been a vocal advocate for labor unions over the years, called on USMX to raise workers’ wages. It’s unclear when both parties will next return to the bargaining table.”

That is one way of destroying the US economy.

Fortunately, The New York Post wrote on October 3:

The three-day longshorseman strike that sparked panic in the US over potential supply chain issues is set to end immediately as dock workers and port operators reached a tentative deal, representatives for each group said Thursday.

The strike — which snarled incoming shipments at dozens of ports stretching from Maine to Texas — will end at least until Jan. 15 after the Internation Longshoremen’s Association, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers, and the US Maritime Alliance, which represents shippers and port operators, reached a tentative deal on wage increases… Dockworkers will see an approximately 62% wage hike over six years under the new deal… The union had been asking for a 77% raise.”

But this is apparently only temporary, and much damage has already been done. In addition, Fortune wrote on September 29 that “Total damages and economic loss from Hurricane Helene could reach $110 billion.”

It is clear that God is not blessing the USA.

Abbas Attacks Israel

Israel Today wrote on September 27:

“In an address to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday morning, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas called the holiest Jewish site—the Temple Mount in Jerusalem—the ‘exclusive property of Muslims’ and referred to Israel as a ‘terrorist state’ that does not deserve membership in the United Nations…

“He also referred to Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as a terrorist for calling for a Third Temple to be built on the mount.”

A Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount, prior to Christ’s return, as the Bible clearly reveals. The evidence is indisputable. 

Netanyahu Attacks UN, Iran Before Strike on Beirut

The New York Post wrote on September 27:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the United Nations General Assembly as a ‘swamp of antisemitic bile’ during a fiery address Friday morning…  He also called the organization an ‘anti-Israel flat-earth society.’ The Likud party leader slammed the International Criminal Court’s allegations that Israel has deliberately targeted civilians in Gaza as the product of ‘profound moral confusion.’

“He called out the Iranian government for backing terror groups, including Hamas, and mentioned how Tehran directly attacked Israel for the first time in April this year. Netanyahu repeatedly emphasized Israel’s nearly year-long struggle in a war that now involves multiple fronts, as Hezbollah, the Houthis and militants in Syria and Iraq renewed their efforts against the Jewish state in response to the Gaza war…

“Shortly after Netanyahu’s speech, Israel rained down missiles on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut, marking its most powerful attack on the group to date.  The explosions marked a serious escalation and came weeks after Israel confirmed that the focus of its war effort was shifting from Gaza to Lebanon. Netanyahu’s office circulated an image of the prime minister on the phone approving the strike on the Lebanese capital.”

Hezbollah Leader Killed

The U.S. Sun wrote on September 28:

“HEZBOLLAH leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed in a massive missile blitz on Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that Friday’s fighter jet blitz successfully eliminated the terror group’s Secretary-General…

“The death of Nasrallah, considered by many to be the single most powerful individual in Lebanon, is a pivotal moment for Israel – and has sparked fears of wider escalation. Ali Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, is also believed to have been killed alongside Nasrallah in the strikes on Friday. Israel also claims to have wiped out several other Hezbollah officials including Muhammad Ali Ismail, the commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, in the blasts. His deputy and ‘other senior officials’ were also taken out.”

Intervention of Outside Powers?

The New York Post wrote on September 28:

“Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the Muslim world to ‘stand by’ Lebanon and Hezbollah.

“The international community has expressed concern that these bombings in Lebanon would inevitably lead to an even wider war in the Middle East

“ ‘Shockwaves radiating from the unprecedented death and destruction in Gaza now threaten to push the entire region into the abyss,’ UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutierez told the Security Council Friday.  ‘War in Lebanon could lead to further escalation involving outside powers.’”

Fox News wrote on September 28:

“… the immediate question is not whether Iran will respond, but how. Hezbollah is a creation of the Islamic Republic, built on decades of effort, and billions of dollars of support… The relationship between Iran’s supreme leader… Khamenei and Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, was almost familial – akin to that of father and son…

“Iran’s leadership cannot simply sit back while Hezbollah endures these levels of humiliation and harm. To do so would not only result in the weakening or loss of its most important proxy, but could signal the start of the unraveling of its entire regional strategy of eradicating the state of Israel, empowering Islamist groups, and expelling U.S. forces from the Middle East….”

Ultimately, Israel will receive a wound—prior to the Great Tribulation. This is apparently some kind of a defeat in war.

Reactions:

The Algemeiner and Reuters wrote on September 28:

“The following are reactions by regional politicians and others to the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday:

“IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTRY: The ministry said in a statement that Nasrallah’s ‘path will continue and his goal will be realized in Jerusalem’s liberation’.

“YEMEN’S IRAN-ALIGNED HOUTHIS: The group said it mourned the killing of Nasrallah, adding: ‘The martyrdom … will increase the strength of sacrifice … determination and continuity.’

“MOHAMMED SHIA AL-SUDANI, IRAQ’S PRIME MINISTER: He said the killing of Nasrallah showed ‘the reckless desire to expand the conflict at the expense of all the peoples of the region and their security and stability.’

“HERZI HALEVI, ISRAEL’S CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF: Nasrallah indiscriminately murdered Israeli civilians and aimed to end this war with the destruction of the State of Israel. We made sure that did not occur. We eliminated him, and we will continue to grow stronger. Hezbollah has murdered innocent people worldwide, hiding his weapons under the homes of families, women and children and turning them into human shields. As we have shown, we will not allow such a threat to our citizens. We are determined to continue destroying the Hezbollah terrorist organization and to keep fighting.’

“MOQTADA EL SADR, IRAQI SHI’ITE MUSLIM POLITICIAN: He said he mourned Nasrallah as ‘his companion in resistance’.

“GEBRAN BASSIL, LEADING LEBANESE CHRISTIAN POLITICIAN: He said he mourned the death of Nasrallah as a major loss and said it was a hard time for all Lebanese, adding: ‘In the face of the Israeli enemy, we have no choice but to be together as Lebanese.’

“MICHEL AOUN, FORMER LEBANESE PRESIDENT: In a statement mourning Nasrallah, he referred to ‘the dangers our country is witnessing as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression which requires rising to the highest level of national solidarity that protects and fortifies our unity because that is the true salvation’.

“SAAD AL-HARIRI, FORMER LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: The assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has plunged Lebanon and the region into a new phase of violence. It is a cowardly act condemned in its entirety by us, who paid dearly for the lives of our loved ones when assassination became an alternative to politics. May God have mercy on Sayyed Hassan and my sincere condolences to his family and comrades. We often disagreed with the deceased and his party and met a few times, but Lebanon was everyone’s tent. In this extremely difficult phase, our unity and solidarity remain the foundation.’

“TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN: In a post on X after the killing of Nasrallah but which did not name him, Erdogan said he condemned recent attacks in Lebanon as part of what he called an Israeli policy of ‘genocide, occupation, and invasion’ and said the Muslim world should show a more ‘determined’ stance.”

The Times of Israel added on September 28:

“Russia also criticized Israel for killing Nasrallah, with a statement from the country’s foreign ministry saying it ‘decisively condemn[s] the latest political murder carried out by Israel’ and ‘once again insistently urge[s] Israel to immediately cease military action.’”

The Lebanese unite against Israel. And what Russian hypocrisy! Controversial German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (the Greens) stated that the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah was not necessary for Isarel’s security.

It is also shocking to see that large parts of the left-wing mass media in the USA and Europe portray mass murderer and terrorist Nasrallah as a somewhat sympathetic figure. For instance, the New York Times wrote falsely that Nasrallah was a “gifted orator” who “maintained that there should be one Palestine with equality for Muslims, Jews and Christians.” The truth is, he wanted Israel destroyed and obliterated.

USA Didn’t Succeed  

AFP wrote on September 28:

“EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell voiced regret Friday that no power, including the United States, can ‘stop;… Netanyahu,  saying he appears determined to crush militants in Gaza and Lebanon… Borrell said Netanyahu has made clear that the Israelis ‘don’t stop until Hezbollah is destroyed,’ much as in its nearly year-old campaign in Gaza against fellow Iranian-backed militant group Hamas. ‘If the interpretation of being destroyed is the same as with Hamas, then we are going to go for a long war,’ Borrell said…

“The outgoing EU foreign affairs chief [said;]  ‘We cannot rely just on the US. The US tried several times; they didn’t succeed…’”

The rift between Europe and the USA, even under Biden and now Harris, is widening.

Israeli Strikes Continue

Daily Mail wrote on September 28:

“Israel launched fresh strikes on Beirut again this afternoon after killing Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah and a senior Iranian commander in an attack on Friday that has rocked the region and threatens drastic escalation. The Israeli military said late Saturday afternoon it had carried out an air strike in the Dahieh area of Beirut – the same district targeted in the strike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in the city yesterday. 

“Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi acknowledged that ‘challenging days await’ for Israel after confirming the death of Hezbollah’s secretary-general, with Iran and Hezbollah’s allies vowing revenge… Israel defended its operations in Lebanon today, amid growing pressure from its allies to de-escalate, claiming that it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to carry out an attack similar to October 7.”

The Sun wrote on September 30:

“ISRAELI special forces have stormed Hezbollah tunnels inside Lebanon as Netanyahu warns there’s nowhere Israel cannot reach. Military bosses have massed tanks and 13,000 reservists at its northern border with Lebanon to pave the way for a bloody showdown with Hezbollah terror troops…. The IDF’s elite troops have carried out raids in southern Lebanon ahead of the possible invasion.”

Can Israel Succeed?

The Sun wrote on September 29:

“Analysts said terror group Hezbollah are ready for a ‘fight to the death’ against Israel should they invade – with Iran ready to pounce and send the region into chaos… Israel’s daily rocket barrages on Beirut are believed to be a clever ploy from the IDF to help begin their ground invasion into southern Lebanon… [Israel] has left the terror group in chaos after it eliminated dozens of their leaders – paving the way for an Israeli invasion. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has already made it clear that the attacks on Lebanon have been tactically done to open up opportunities for the military to enter…

“But… despite the IDF outnumbering, outgunning and potentially outsmarting Hezbollah a complete offensive will be a tricky task to pull off. Despite being severely weakened by the rocket strikes Hezbollah are still a scary prospect after decades of training and Iranian funding…

“In the short term, Israel may be able to push Hezbollah and Iran back with their impressive battlefield skills and range of weapons. But many fear that their dominance won’t last long in the region – potentially triggering a war involving global powers…”

Ultimately, foreign powers WILL invade and conquer the state of Israel.

Israel Strikes Yemen

Express wrote on September 29:

“Israel has launched an all-out air assault on Yemen’s Houthis striking targets in a raid using dozens of aircraft. The IDF confirmed that the strike was the most powerful against the terror group since it joined the widening Middle East war following the October 7 attack in Israel last year. The targets of the strikes were oil reserves in Ras Issa and also the port of Hodeidah, according to Israeli army sources. Additionally, power plants were also struck in the devastating attacks carried out by  Israel’s air force…

“The strikes appear to be in retaliation for attacks on Israel carried out by the Houthis last week. Three missiles were fired at Tel Aviv and central areas of the country, following Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon…”

Israel is fighting on numerous fronts. In the long run, it will be extremely difficult to continue doing so.

Iran Attacks Israel

The Daily Mail wrote on October 1:

“The Israeli military has announced that missiles have been launched from Iran into Israel tonight – with the Islamic Republic ignoring warnings that any such attack would invite ‘severe consequences’. Air raid sirens sounded as dozens of missiles began raining down on Israel, with some dramatically exploding into flames as they appeared to strike areas of Tel Aviv, Israel’s capital. As the sustained attack continued into the night sky, other missiles exploded in the air as they were intercepted by Israel’s defence systems. 

“… Israel was expecting ballistic missiles to be launched by Iran this evening in yet another major escalation that leaves the Middle East on the brink of an all-out war. These can reach their targets in just 12 minutes…

“Israeli media are reporting that [about 200] missiles have been fired into Israel – after Iran vowed on Saturday that Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah would be avenged…

“It comes as:  Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on towns and cities across Israel; IDF claimed to have conducted cross-border raids on southern Lebanon; Israeli airstrikes continue to devastate targets across Lebanon and Syria; Lebanon… appealed for $400 million in humanitarian aid…

“President Joe Biden said the United States was prepared to help Israel defend itself from Iranian missile attacks and to protect American military in the region…”

However, Biden also said that Israel should not attack Iran’s nuclear sites in retaliation. But many feel that Israel will have to do something. At the same time, Israel lost eight IDF soldiers in Southern Lebanon’s Ground Offensive who were killed by Hezbollah.

Zelenskyy and Trump Meet

The Associated Press wrote on September 27:

“Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met face-to-face with Donald Trump  Friday with public tensions rising between the two over Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion… Trump has for months criticized U.S. support for Ukraine and derided Zelenskyy as a ‘salesman’ for persuading Washington to provide weapons and funding to his military as it tries to fend off Moscow…

“In an interview with The New Yorker that was published earlier this week, Zelenskyy implied Trump does not understand and oversimplifies the conflict. The Ukrainian leader said Trump’s running mate JD Vance was ‘too radical’ and has essentially advocated for Ukraine to ‘make a sacrifice’ by ‘giving up its territories.’…”

Zelenskyy stated that both he and Trump agree that Putin “cannot win the war.”  It is unclear what is meant by that phrase. If the intention was to say that he must not win the war, that would be one thing; if it was meant to say that Putin will be unable to win the war, then that would be illusionary. Note the next article.

Ukraine Should Be Talking About Peace

The Ron Paul Institute added on September 28:

Russia is gaining territory quickly because Ukraine is low on manpower. No amount of NATO technology or weaponry is going to help this fundamental weakness.  This is the reality in Ukraine; they are losing the war… Zelensky is dead-set on getting permission to use US and European long range missile systems against targets deep within Russia… So far the Biden Administration has refrained from supporting the long range option, but has offered another $8 billion in support.  Under a Trump presidency, the money train is likely to stop abruptly.

“Zelensky has offered no practical measures for negotiations, arguing that concessions are off the table.  Furthermore, he claims that peace is only possible once Ukraine has taken back all territory seized by Russia, including Crimea which was annexed in 2014.  He then demanded that Russia pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction and that Putin and a multitude of other Russian officials be handed over to be tried for war crimes.  This is never going to happen.

“The core of Ukraine’s victory plan relies on long range strikes using NATO guided missiles and acceptance into NATO.  Both factors at this stage would cause WWIII

“Many officials within the US and Europe have given Zelensky delusions of grandeur about his chances, perhaps because they want the war to grind on forever.  These same officials have hinted consistently that they will not accept a Ukrainian loss.   Regardless of what side people think should win, the fact is that Russia is the inevitable victor according to all the evidence on hand…. The longer the war goes on the greater the chances of a powder keg moment and a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.  Ukraine should not be talking about ‘victory’, that time has come and gone. They should be talking about peace.”

The Western press keeps repeating the mantra that Ukraine is winning the war. This is not supported by the facts. In any event, Russia and Ukraine will unite, no matter who “wins” the war.

Europe Prepared for a Suicide Venture?

Newsweek wrote on September 28:

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov… issued a new nuclear warning during the… (U.N.) General Assembly on Saturday…   NATO leaders have increasingly warned that direct conflict with Moscow is a realistic danger as it has more nuclear warheads than any other country…  Lavrov… warned Washington, D.C. as well as London to prepare for a ‘suicide venture’ pointing out the ‘pointlessness and danger of the very idea to fight to victory with a nuclear power like Russia.’

“‘A goal has been declared to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia – almost like London and Washington planned in May 1945 as they developed “Operation Unthinkable” on destruction of the Soviet Union even before the end of World War II. Back then, it was a closely held secret. The Anglo-Saxon strategists of today, however, make no secret of their intentions. So far, they expect to defeat Russia with the hands of the illegitimate neo-Nazi Kiev regime, but they already prepare Europe to leap into a suicide venture as well,’ Lavrov said.”

Again, none of these Russian warnings should be taken lightly.

Belgium Unhappy with Pope and Catholic Church

The Associated Press wrote on September 27:

“Belgium’s prime minister blasted Pope Francis for the Catholic Church’s horrific legacy of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups here, demanding ‘concrete steps’ to come clean with the past and put victims’ interests ahead those of the institution in a blistering welcome at the start of Francis’ visit on Friday.

“The speech by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip, where the genteel dictates of diplomatic protocol usually keeps outrage out of the public remarks. But even King Philippe had strong words for Francis, demanding the church work ‘incessantly’ to atone for the crimes and help victims heal.

“Their tone underscored just how raw the abuse scandal still is in Belgium, where two decades of revelations of abuse and systematic cover-ups have devastated the hierarchy’s credibility and contributed to an overall decline in Catholicism and the influence of the once-powerful Catholic Church…

“The prime minister, king and pope also referred to a new church-related scandal rocking Belgium, over so-called ‘forced adoptions,’ which echoed earlier revelations about Ireland’s so-called mother and baby homes.  After World War II and through the 1980s, many single mothers were forced by the Belgian church into offering their newborns up for adoption. Often they barely saw their babies before nuns took them away, and the babies were then placed for adoption, with money changing hands. For those adopted, it is close to impossible now to find out who their birth mothers were, since the records have long ago disappeared.

“Francis said he was ‘saddened’ to learn of these practices, but said such criminality was ‘mixed in with what was unfortunately the prevailing view in all parts of society at this time… Many believed in conscience that they were doing something good for both the child and the mother,’ he said, referring to the social stigma of an unwed mother in a Catholic country… [it is estimated] it affected up to 30,000 babies…”

These scandals in the Catholic Church are as old as the Catholic Church, and they will continue. Only at times, the tip of the iceberg reaches the surface, but one can only imagine what is all going on in the abyss below.

The Catholic Church’s New Seven Capital Sins

FSSPX News wrote on September 30:

“Here is the [new] list of [capital] sins, as the Synod document describes them:

  • Sin against peace
  • Sin against creation, against indigenous populations, against migrants
  • Sin of abuse
  • Sin against women, family, youth
  • Sin of using doctrine as stones to be hurled
  • Sin against poverty
  • Sin against synodality / lack of listening, communion, and participation of all

“Some of them are too general and can cover many situations: the sin against poverty can be a lack of assistance to the poor, or even wastefulness. The sin against the family can cover divorce, contraception, abortion, surrogacy… The latter is also a sin against surrogate women, a kind of slavery.

“It is curious that there is a sin against youth, but no sin against old age: euthanasia is already rife in many countries, and seeks to spread to every continent. As for the sin of abuse, it’s a vast spectrum: abuse through physical violence, sexual violence, abuse of power, abuse of corporate assets.

“… it should be noted that these sins reflect the preoccupations of a Pope who has a personal conception of certain current issues, and who often comes to forget the essentials because of this bias

“As for the sin against migrants, it has taken on an increasingly sharp tone recently, to the point of asserting that turning away migrants is a grave sin. This would only be conceivable in cases of grave danger to the migrant’s life…

“But the one that appears most strikingly strange is the last one: ‘Sin against synodality’ or ‘lack of listening, communion, and participation of all.’… Should we see this as an accusation against bishops—and possibly priests—who defend episcopal power and refuse to see it diluted in the ‘common priesthood’ of the faithful? Should we see it as a ‘landmine’ prepared for participants in the synodal Assembly who wish to reject what is being cunningly prepared in this Synod? Should we anticipate a forthcoming sin ‘against democracy in the Church’, which would be nothing more than a negation of the hierarchical structure that Christ willed for the supernatural society He founded? But doesn’t this sin against synodality already savor of that? It certainly does. And that is undoubtedly why it’s on this list…”

Austria in the News

NBC News wrote on September 28, BEFORE the election on Sunday:

“Politics in a central European country of just 10 million people might not seem consequential. But that’s not the case in Austria, where there’s a good chance its election Sunday will be won by a far-right, pro-Russia party… A win for the Freedom Party, or FPÖ, would not just have historical connotations — Austria was the birthplace of Adolf Hitler — it could tilt the balance of power between Russia and the West...

“The FPÖ is led by Herbert Kickl, 55, a wiry, acerbic provocateur in designer glasses. He has been branded as ‘Volkskanzler’ or ‘People’s Chancellor,’ by his party, a term most associated with the Nazis who used it to describe Hitler. Indeed the FPÖ was founded in the 1950s by former members of Hiter’s paramilitary group the SS, although Kickl and his supporters reject the modern-day comparison…

“Kickl’s vision is to build  ‘Fortress Austria’ and ‘Fortress Europe,’ as he put it during a debate on Austrian public television Thursday night. That would involve a dramatic overhaul of Austria’s immigration system, registering all new arrivals and detaining them in specialist facilities. The party is also proposing to introduce ‘remigration’ of ‘unwanted strangers’ — deporting migrants to their country of origin.

“… the FPÖ’s influence could extend far beyond its own borders. It has for years been sympathetic toward Russia, not just calling for an end to Europe’s support for Ukraine but also advocating an end to the sanctions placed on Russia over its war. In 2016, party leader Heinz-Christian Strache signed a formal ‘cooperation pact’ with Putin’s United Russia party…“It has been a junior coalition partner before,  but crashed out in 2019 after Strache was secretly recorded offering to fix government contracts with a woman posing as the relative of a Russian oligarch…

“This time, an FPÖ-led Austria could form a Ukraine-skeptical bloc with like-minded neighbors, Slovakia and Hungary, the latter led by Trump ally Victor Orban… Its election would be the latest chapter in a rightward lurch across Europe, with voters rejecting mainstream centrists not just over immigration and the economy, but the environment and so-called ‘culture war’ issues, too… A coalition is almost certain —  not an easy task when the FPÖ is so vilified by opponents.”

In 1970, Jörg Haider became the leader of the FPÖ youth movement and headed it until 1974. Haider rose rapidly through the party ranks. In 1972, at the age of 22, he was already a well-established leader and was made party affairs manager of the Carinthian FPÖ in 1976. In early 2000, FPÖ leader Jörg Haider made a deal with the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) to form a coalition government.

Haider had been in line to become Austrian chancellor. But strong international pressure convinced both parties to give the chancellor post to the ÖVP. Haider stepped down as FPÖ chief in February 2000. Just 13 days after the elections in 2008,  Haider died in a mysterious car crash in southern Austria. His wife claimed that foul play was involved.

It has been reported that Kickl had been the speech writer for Haider, and also for his successor, Heinz-Christian Strache.

The FPÖ Wins!

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 29:

“Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has scored a historic victory, winning the country’s parliamentary election for the first time. According to the preliminary official results, the FPÖ garnered 29.2% of votes, followed by Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s center-right conservative ÖVP with 26.48%… The FPÖ now has the most seats in the new Austrian parliament. Turnout stood at 74.9%, slightly down from the previous election in 2019…

“On Sunday evening, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl said his party was ready to negotiate with other political forces… Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen also told political parties to hold talks to form a government... Chancellor Nehammer (ÖVP) conceded defeat by Sunday evening

“Despite the far-right party’s historic victory, it does not have enough seats to form a government on its own and would require a coalition. The Social Democrats already ruled out such an agreement, but the ÖVP has not…

“The head of Germany’s far-right AfD party, Alice Weidel, congratulated FPÖ after the projections were published. The German party… shares large elements of its ideology with FPÖ…

“During the campaign, Nehammer sought to portray FPÖ’s Kickl as a toxic extremist and said he would not be working with him, but signaled the conservatives could cooperate with the FPÖ as a whole. On Sunday, the incumbent chancellor doubled down on his rejection of Kickl…

“The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has been in government several times but it has never topped a national vote before Sunday… Under [Kickl’s] abrasive leadership, the party… has seen its popularity rebound on voter anger and anxieties over COVID restrictions, migration, inflation and the Ukraine war…”

Newsmax added on September 29:

“Austrian voters handed a first-ever general election victory to the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) on Sunday… underlining rising support for hard-right parties in Europe fueled by concern over immigration levels…. The FPO victory [makes] Austria the latest EU country to register surging far-right support after gains in countries including the Netherlands, France and Germany.”

Politics Made in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 28:

“The parliament in the eastern German state of Thuringia elected Thadäus König of the conservative … CDU  as its new speaker on Saturday. The speaker presides over the parliament and has the power to call lawmakers to session at any moment… König was competing for the speakership against a nominee from the… AfD, Wiebke Muhsal. König was able to secure a majority of 54 out of 88 total seats, which included members of center and far-left parties.  It comes after the AfD placed first in the September 1 regional election in Thuringia, garnering almost 33% of the vote. The CDU, meanwhile, came in second in that election with almost 24% of the vote. 

“As a result of the September 1 vote, the AfD managed to win over a third of all seats in Thuringia’s parliament. The AfD thus had priority in putting forward a parliamentary speaker candidate, although the other parties vowed to block the far-right nominee for the post…

“The CDU… turned to Thuringia’s constitutional court. The court ruled against the AfD, paving the way for the CDU to put forward König as its speaker candidate… The CDU is currently trying to form a government in Thuringia, bypassing the AfD. In order to form a ruling coalition in the state, the CDU is negotiating with the center-left… SPD  and the left-wing populist, anti-immigration… BSW.” 

The constant attempts by the main parties to bypass the AfD, and the ongoing negative reporting in the mainstream media about the AfD, will backfire. 

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

Update 1131

A Peculiar Treasure / The Power and Might of God

On October 5, 2024, Paul Niehoff will present the sermonette, titled, “A Peculiar Treasure,” and Brian Gale will present the sermon titled, “The Power and Might of God.”

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

FEAST OF TRUMPETS:

On October 3, 2024, Kalon Mitchell presented the Offertory, titled, “Snakes,” and Norbert Link presented the sermon, titled, “God’s Warning to the Nations (Feast of Trumpets 2024).”

DAY OF ATONEMENT:

On October 12 is the Day of Atonement. The offertory will be given by Eric Rank, and the sermon will be given by Dave Harris.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to observance of the Fall Holy Days, we will not publish the Update again until November 7, 2024.

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Stronger Together

by Michael Link

Paul conveys these familiar words in Philippians 4:13, stating, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

Paul knew that ANYTHING was possible when leaving matters in God’s hands, no matter what difficulties he encountered. He also respected the fact that God was in complete control over his life, even though he prayed continuously for God to intervene when it came to his physical ailments. God answered by not healing him at times. That, however, didn’t discourage him as he admitted that through this physical weakness, he was strong (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), knowing that it was God who strengthened him in his weakness.

Having a sound mind with the help of God’s Holy Spirit is what sets us apart from the rest of the world.“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Paul also tells us in Ephesians 6:10 that we need to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” 

David also understood this, and he faced many difficult trials as well. He pleaded with God with fasting and prayer and knew that he had to change. He was not too proud to admit that he sinned when he recognized it, and he bitterly repented. He was still punished at times, but God accepted his repentance, and he was forgiven. After all, he was a man after God’s own heart. His heart was in the right place. He loved God’s Law and he received strength from God as he indicated in Psalms 27:1: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” 

He couldn’t rely on just his physical strength and abilities for that is only temporary, but that which is spiritual, is everlasting. It is vital that we in the Church of God are of one mind—to be unified with God and with one another.

To be truly unified, we are to “speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among [us], but that [we] be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10.) We NEED to be of ONE mind (1 Peter 3:8). Romans 12:16 adds that we need to be of the same mind with one another and that we are not to be wise in our own opinion. If we think that we can make it on our own, saying that we don’t need the Church or the ministry, that we don’t need to keep God’s Law and just do what we believe is correct in our own eyes, WE WILL FAIL. Proverbs 3:5-6 reveals in whom we are to put our trust; and yes, God will direct our paths when we DO just that. 

But God also provides help because we are not alone. Who can understand the Bible without direction, explanation, and guidance? This is how God provides help for the purpose of teaching (compare Ephesians 4:11-13; Acts 20:28).  We need God’s ministry to be taught (Romans 10:14). But, we need to be of one mind.  How can two walk together unless they are agreed (Amos 3:3)?

To be truly unified, we must have humility (Philippians 2:1-8), we must have peace (Ephesians 4:3), and we must have love which is the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:14.)  Verses 12 and 13 elaborate on what we need to do to have that bond of perfection.

Through unity of like mind, we receive strength. God will strengthen us when we are unified with Him and with one another. We must allow God to help us when we go through difficult times and we must not take for granted what God has given us. Let’s really think about what His purpose is for us — why we are here, what we are commissioned to do. We must all do our part individually and as a whole. Together in unity, together in strength! 

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by Norbert Link

We begin with an extraordinary admission that hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who have been convicted of murder, rape and other capital crimes, are running loose in the USA.

We continue with the volatile situation in the Middle East, and Israel’s fight for survival. In this regard, please view our new program, titled, “Israel’s Countless Enemies—Comments on News and Prophecy, September 28, 2024.”

We address further developments pertaining to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Please view our StandingWatch program, titled “Nuclear War with Russia?”.

We speak on the sex scandals within the Catholic Church.  Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Scandals and Falsehoods in the Catholic Church.”

We conclude with focusing on elections in Austria and Germany.

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13,099 Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Homicide Loose on the Streets

Fox News wrote on September 27:

Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with sex offenses and homicide convictions are loose on the streets, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data provided to lawmakers this week… The data, as of July 2024, is broken down by those in detention, and those who are not in detention — known as the non-detained docket.  The non-detained docket includes illegal immigrants who have final orders of removal or are going through removal proceedings but are not detained in ICE custody. There are currently more than 7 million people on that docket. The data says that, among those not in detention, there are 425,431 convicted criminals and 222,141 with pending criminal charges.

“Those include 62,231 convicted of assault, 14,301 convicted of burglary, 56,533 with drug convictions and 13,099 convicted of homicide. An additional 2,521 have kidnapping convictions and 15,811 have sexual assault convictions. 

“There are an additional 1,845 with pending homicide charges, 42,915 with assault charges, 3,266 with burglary charges and 4,250 with assault charges…”

Trump has been ridiculed and maligned for consistently stating that many illegal aliens entering the USA are murderers and rapists. After all, he was right. The actual numbers might be much higher than the ones listed above.

Convicted Illegal Immigrants in the USA

CBS News wrote on September 30:

“… a letter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [which was] recently shared with Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales… contained figures on immigrants with criminal records being tracked by ICE but not detained by the agency… many of the convicted criminals described in the letter have been in the U.S. for a long time, before the Biden administration took office, according to government data and officials. Some are still in federal or state custody serving criminal sentences and are likely to be arrested by ICE. And others cannot be deported because their home countries won’t take them back or they received legal relief from deportation in immigration court.

“… The number of non-detained docket cases has ballooned under the Biden administration, fueled by the release of millions of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years. ICE is currently tracking roughly 7.7 million non-detained cases, up from 3.3 million in fiscal year 2020…

“ICE efforts to arrest immigrants accused or convicted of crimes are often frustrated by jurisdictions with so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Some communities, for example, do not honor requests from ICE to hold individuals longer so the agency can pick them up and take them into custody… ICE sometimes has to release immigrants who have been ordered deported by a judge, often because of a criminal conviction, simply because their home country won’t accept them. Additionally, some immigrants, even those convicted of serious crimes, can have their deportation deferred if immigration judges determine they would likely be tortured or persecuted in their home countries…”

The End of Democracy?

Media ITE wrote on September 29:

“Elon Musk claimed Sunday that electing former President Donald Trump in November is the ‘only way’ to save the country from the tyranny of Democrats and illegal migrants. He wrote on X:

“‘Very few Americans realize that, if Trump is NOT elected, this will be the last election. Far from being a threat to democracy, he is the only way to save it! Let me explain: if even 1 in 20 illegals become citizens per year, something that the Democrats are expediting as fast as humanly possible, that would be about 2 million new legal voters in 4 years. The voting margin in the swing states is often less than 20 thousand votes. That means if the “Democratic” Party succeeds, there will be no more swing states!! Moreover, the Biden/Harris administration has been flying “asylum seekers”, who are fast-tracked to citizenship, directly into swing states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Arizona. It is a surefire way to win every election.

“‘America then becomes a one-party state and Democracy is over. The only “elections” will be the Democratic Party primaries. This already happened in California many years ago, following the 1986 amnesty. The only thing holding California back from extreme socialism and suffocating government policies is that people can leave California and still remain in America. Once the whole country is controlled by one party, there will be no escape. Everywhere in America will be like the nightmare that is downtown San Francisco.’”

This is a frightening but not improbable scenario. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Sunday that will bar local authorities from requiring photo ID to vote.

“Ridiculous ‘Fact Check’ of a True Statement During CBS Vance-Walz VP Debate”

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on October 1:

“Sen. JD Vance was accurately describing the migrant crisis fueled by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden when CBS moderator Margaret Brennan decided to insert herself with a ‘fact check.’ ‘Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status,’ she said smugly.

“Vance was rightly annoyed by the interruption and said, ‘The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check, and since you’re fact-checking me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on.’ He then proceeded to truthfully, forcefully explain what ‘legal status’ means: ‘So there’s an application called the CBP One app, where you can go on as an illegal migrant, apply for asylum or apply for parole, and be granted legal status at the wave of a Kamala Harris open border wand.’ At which point CBS decided to CUT OFF HIS MIC.

“This was the most shameful moment in a long history of shameful moments by moderators biased against Republicans. They ‘fact-checked’ the truth, then stopped the politician from responding. It was made all the more partisan by the fact that when Gov. Tim Walz told the howler that ‘illegal border crossings are down compared to when Donald Trump left office,’ which is not even close to true, no one let out of a peep. Some ‘facts’ are too good to check…

“What Vance was explaining is absolutely, verifiably correct. There is no congressional authorization for the Biden-Harris administration to simply allow 1,000 people a day, 365,000 a year, to just walk across the border. Moreover, asylum law requires that seekers apply in the first safe country they enter. The White House is ignoring that rule. Venezuelans can walk through a half-dozen nations where they could apply for asylum, and they still let them apply here. They aren’t required to remain in Mexico while their applications are processed, as former President Donald Trump required…

“So yes, the Haitians of Springfield have ‘legal status.’ But that’s only because Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are ignoring the law.”

That was by far not the only problem with the moderators of the Vance-Walz debate. Tim Walz was not taken to task when he incorrectly claimed that he did not sign a bill allowing abortions after birth; no questions were asked about his falsified record as a soldier; and no really pertinent questions were even asked about Russia and Ukraine.

Worse yet, they brought up the January 6 incident, falsely claiming that all courts had ruled that there was no evidence of fraud. The truth is, most courts did not even address the substance of the case—they dismissed causes of actions on procedural grounds such as lack of standing—and the few courts which did address substance limited their judgments to strictly local occurrences in a particular state, but not the USA as a whole. The verdict on HOW much the election was rigged is still out. It has been rightly observed that the Vance-Walz debate was again three against one (as had been the case in the previous debate between Trump and Harris). Still, it has been overwhelmingly stated that Vance won the debate.

The Costs of the Port Strike

inc.com wrote on October 2:

“Analysts at J.P. Morgan calculated that the strike that shut down ports from Maine to Texas could cost the U.S. economy between $3.8 billion to $4.5 billion for each day they remain closed. Roughly 45,000 dock workers walked off the job at 36 ports when the clock struck midnight on Tuesday when their contract expired. Negotiations have reportedly stalled for months over wages… For each day the workers strike, estimates suggest that supply chains could face an additional five to seven days of congestion as goods are rerouted to open ports in other regions of the country, namely the West Coast. Assuming those ports stay open…

“Many are concerned that the snarled supply chains the nation experienced in 2021 could resurface, along with the price increases that such disruptions may bring. Goods such as bananas, cherries, chocolate, and alcohol could be in short supply if the strike becomes protracted… As of now, Biden has chosen not to step in. The president, who has been a vocal advocate for labor unions over the years, called on USMX to raise workers’ wages. It’s unclear when both parties will next return to the bargaining table.”

That is one way of destroying the US economy.

Fortunately, The New York Post wrote on October 3:

The three-day longshorseman strike that sparked panic in the US over potential supply chain issues is set to end immediately as dock workers and port operators reached a tentative deal, representatives for each group said Thursday.

The strike — which snarled incoming shipments at dozens of ports stretching from Maine to Texas — will end at least until Jan. 15 after the Internation Longshoremen’s Association, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers, and the US Maritime Alliance, which represents shippers and port operators, reached a tentative deal on wage increases… Dockworkers will see an approximately 62% wage hike over six years under the new deal… The union had been asking for a 77% raise.”

But this is apparently only temporary, and much damage has already been done. In addition, Fortune wrote on September 29 that “Total damages and economic loss from Hurricane Helene could reach $110 billion.”

It is clear that God is not blessing the USA.

Abbas Attacks Israel

Israel Today wrote on September 27:

“In an address to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday morning, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas called the holiest Jewish site—the Temple Mount in Jerusalem—the ‘exclusive property of Muslims’ and referred to Israel as a ‘terrorist state’ that does not deserve membership in the United Nations…

“He also referred to Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as a terrorist for calling for a Third Temple to be built on the mount.”

A Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount, prior to Christ’s return, as the Bible clearly reveals. The evidence is indisputable. 

Netanyahu Attacks UN, Iran Before Strike on Beirut

The New York Post wrote on September 27:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the United Nations General Assembly as a ‘swamp of antisemitic bile’ during a fiery address Friday morning…  He also called the organization an ‘anti-Israel flat-earth society.’ The Likud party leader slammed the International Criminal Court’s allegations that Israel has deliberately targeted civilians in Gaza as the product of ‘profound moral confusion.’

“He called out the Iranian government for backing terror groups, including Hamas, and mentioned how Tehran directly attacked Israel for the first time in April this year. Netanyahu repeatedly emphasized Israel’s nearly year-long struggle in a war that now involves multiple fronts, as Hezbollah, the Houthis and militants in Syria and Iraq renewed their efforts against the Jewish state in response to the Gaza war…

“Shortly after Netanyahu’s speech, Israel rained down missiles on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut, marking its most powerful attack on the group to date.  The explosions marked a serious escalation and came weeks after Israel confirmed that the focus of its war effort was shifting from Gaza to Lebanon. Netanyahu’s office circulated an image of the prime minister on the phone approving the strike on the Lebanese capital.”

Hezbollah Leader Killed

The U.S. Sun wrote on September 28:

“HEZBOLLAH leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed in a massive missile blitz on Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that Friday’s fighter jet blitz successfully eliminated the terror group’s Secretary-General…

“The death of Nasrallah, considered by many to be the single most powerful individual in Lebanon, is a pivotal moment for Israel – and has sparked fears of wider escalation. Ali Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, is also believed to have been killed alongside Nasrallah in the strikes on Friday. Israel also claims to have wiped out several other Hezbollah officials including Muhammad Ali Ismail, the commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, in the blasts. His deputy and ‘other senior officials’ were also taken out.”

Intervention of Outside Powers?

The New York Post wrote on September 28:

“Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the Muslim world to ‘stand by’ Lebanon and Hezbollah.

“The international community has expressed concern that these bombings in Lebanon would inevitably lead to an even wider war in the Middle East

“ ‘Shockwaves radiating from the unprecedented death and destruction in Gaza now threaten to push the entire region into the abyss,’ UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutierez told the Security Council Friday.  ‘War in Lebanon could lead to further escalation involving outside powers.’”

Fox News wrote on September 28:

“… the immediate question is not whether Iran will respond, but how. Hezbollah is a creation of the Islamic Republic, built on decades of effort, and billions of dollars of support… The relationship between Iran’s supreme leader… Khamenei and Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, was almost familial – akin to that of father and son…

“Iran’s leadership cannot simply sit back while Hezbollah endures these levels of humiliation and harm. To do so would not only result in the weakening or loss of its most important proxy, but could signal the start of the unraveling of its entire regional strategy of eradicating the state of Israel, empowering Islamist groups, and expelling U.S. forces from the Middle East….”

Ultimately, Israel will receive a wound—prior to the Great Tribulation. This is apparently some kind of a defeat in war.

Reactions:

The Algemeiner and Reuters wrote on September 28:

“The following are reactions by regional politicians and others to the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday:

“IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTRY: The ministry said in a statement that Nasrallah’s ‘path will continue and his goal will be realized in Jerusalem’s liberation’.

“YEMEN’S IRAN-ALIGNED HOUTHIS: The group said it mourned the killing of Nasrallah, adding: ‘The martyrdom … will increase the strength of sacrifice … determination and continuity.’

“MOHAMMED SHIA AL-SUDANI, IRAQ’S PRIME MINISTER: He said the killing of Nasrallah showed ‘the reckless desire to expand the conflict at the expense of all the peoples of the region and their security and stability.’

“HERZI HALEVI, ISRAEL’S CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF: Nasrallah indiscriminately murdered Israeli civilians and aimed to end this war with the destruction of the State of Israel. We made sure that did not occur. We eliminated him, and we will continue to grow stronger. Hezbollah has murdered innocent people worldwide, hiding his weapons under the homes of families, women and children and turning them into human shields. As we have shown, we will not allow such a threat to our citizens. We are determined to continue destroying the Hezbollah terrorist organization and to keep fighting.’

“MOQTADA EL SADR, IRAQI SHI’ITE MUSLIM POLITICIAN: He said he mourned Nasrallah as ‘his companion in resistance’.

“GEBRAN BASSIL, LEADING LEBANESE CHRISTIAN POLITICIAN: He said he mourned the death of Nasrallah as a major loss and said it was a hard time for all Lebanese, adding: ‘In the face of the Israeli enemy, we have no choice but to be together as Lebanese.’

“MICHEL AOUN, FORMER LEBANESE PRESIDENT: In a statement mourning Nasrallah, he referred to ‘the dangers our country is witnessing as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression which requires rising to the highest level of national solidarity that protects and fortifies our unity because that is the true salvation’.

“SAAD AL-HARIRI, FORMER LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: The assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has plunged Lebanon and the region into a new phase of violence. It is a cowardly act condemned in its entirety by us, who paid dearly for the lives of our loved ones when assassination became an alternative to politics. May God have mercy on Sayyed Hassan and my sincere condolences to his family and comrades. We often disagreed with the deceased and his party and met a few times, but Lebanon was everyone’s tent. In this extremely difficult phase, our unity and solidarity remain the foundation.’

“TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN: In a post on X after the killing of Nasrallah but which did not name him, Erdogan said he condemned recent attacks in Lebanon as part of what he called an Israeli policy of ‘genocide, occupation, and invasion’ and said the Muslim world should show a more ‘determined’ stance.”

The Times of Israel added on September 28:

“Russia also criticized Israel for killing Nasrallah, with a statement from the country’s foreign ministry saying it ‘decisively condemn[s] the latest political murder carried out by Israel’ and ‘once again insistently urge[s] Israel to immediately cease military action.’”

The Lebanese unite against Israel. And what Russian hypocrisy! Controversial German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (the Greens) stated that the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah was not necessary for Isarel’s security.

It is also shocking to see that large parts of the left-wing mass media in the USA and Europe portray mass murderer and terrorist Nasrallah as a somewhat sympathetic figure. For instance, the New York Times wrote falsely that Nasrallah was a “gifted orator” who “maintained that there should be one Palestine with equality for Muslims, Jews and Christians.” The truth is, he wanted Israel destroyed and obliterated.

USA Didn’t Succeed  

AFP wrote on September 28:

“EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell voiced regret Friday that no power, including the United States, can ‘stop;… Netanyahu,  saying he appears determined to crush militants in Gaza and Lebanon… Borrell said Netanyahu has made clear that the Israelis ‘don’t stop until Hezbollah is destroyed,’ much as in its nearly year-old campaign in Gaza against fellow Iranian-backed militant group Hamas. ‘If the interpretation of being destroyed is the same as with Hamas, then we are going to go for a long war,’ Borrell said…

“The outgoing EU foreign affairs chief [said;]  ‘We cannot rely just on the US. The US tried several times; they didn’t succeed…’”

The rift between Europe and the USA, even under Biden and now Harris, is widening.

Israeli Strikes Continue

Daily Mail wrote on September 28:

“Israel launched fresh strikes on Beirut again this afternoon after killing Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah and a senior Iranian commander in an attack on Friday that has rocked the region and threatens drastic escalation. The Israeli military said late Saturday afternoon it had carried out an air strike in the Dahieh area of Beirut – the same district targeted in the strike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in the city yesterday. 

“Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi acknowledged that ‘challenging days await’ for Israel after confirming the death of Hezbollah’s secretary-general, with Iran and Hezbollah’s allies vowing revenge… Israel defended its operations in Lebanon today, amid growing pressure from its allies to de-escalate, claiming that it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to carry out an attack similar to October 7.”

The Sun wrote on September 30:

“ISRAELI special forces have stormed Hezbollah tunnels inside Lebanon as Netanyahu warns there’s nowhere Israel cannot reach. Military bosses have massed tanks and 13,000 reservists at its northern border with Lebanon to pave the way for a bloody showdown with Hezbollah terror troops…. The IDF’s elite troops have carried out raids in southern Lebanon ahead of the possible invasion.”

Can Israel Succeed?

The Sun wrote on September 29:

“Analysts said terror group Hezbollah are ready for a ‘fight to the death’ against Israel should they invade – with Iran ready to pounce and send the region into chaos… Israel’s daily rocket barrages on Beirut are believed to be a clever ploy from the IDF to help begin their ground invasion into southern Lebanon… [Israel] has left the terror group in chaos after it eliminated dozens of their leaders – paving the way for an Israeli invasion. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has already made it clear that the attacks on Lebanon have been tactically done to open up opportunities for the military to enter…

“But… despite the IDF outnumbering, outgunning and potentially outsmarting Hezbollah a complete offensive will be a tricky task to pull off. Despite being severely weakened by the rocket strikes Hezbollah are still a scary prospect after decades of training and Iranian funding…

“In the short term, Israel may be able to push Hezbollah and Iran back with their impressive battlefield skills and range of weapons. But many fear that their dominance won’t last long in the region – potentially triggering a war involving global powers…”

Ultimately, foreign powers WILL invade and conquer the state of Israel.

Israel Strikes Yemen

Express wrote on September 29:

“Israel has launched an all-out air assault on Yemen’s Houthis striking targets in a raid using dozens of aircraft. The IDF confirmed that the strike was the most powerful against the terror group since it joined the widening Middle East war following the October 7 attack in Israel last year. The targets of the strikes were oil reserves in Ras Issa and also the port of Hodeidah, according to Israeli army sources. Additionally, power plants were also struck in the devastating attacks carried out by  Israel’s air force…

“The strikes appear to be in retaliation for attacks on Israel carried out by the Houthis last week. Three missiles were fired at Tel Aviv and central areas of the country, following Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon…”

Israel is fighting on numerous fronts. In the long run, it will be extremely difficult to continue doing so.

Iran Attacks Israel

The Daily Mail wrote on October 1:

“The Israeli military has announced that missiles have been launched from Iran into Israel tonight – with the Islamic Republic ignoring warnings that any such attack would invite ‘severe consequences’. Air raid sirens sounded as dozens of missiles began raining down on Israel, with some dramatically exploding into flames as they appeared to strike areas of Tel Aviv, Israel’s capital. As the sustained attack continued into the night sky, other missiles exploded in the air as they were intercepted by Israel’s defence systems. 

“… Israel was expecting ballistic missiles to be launched by Iran this evening in yet another major escalation that leaves the Middle East on the brink of an all-out war. These can reach their targets in just 12 minutes…

“Israeli media are reporting that [about 200] missiles have been fired into Israel – after Iran vowed on Saturday that Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah would be avenged…

“It comes as:  Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on towns and cities across Israel; IDF claimed to have conducted cross-border raids on southern Lebanon; Israeli airstrikes continue to devastate targets across Lebanon and Syria; Lebanon… appealed for $400 million in humanitarian aid…

“President Joe Biden said the United States was prepared to help Israel defend itself from Iranian missile attacks and to protect American military in the region…”

However, Biden also said that Israel should not attack Iran’s nuclear sites in retaliation. But many feel that Israel will have to do something. At the same time, Israel lost eight IDF soldiers in Southern Lebanon’s Ground Offensive who were killed by Hezbollah.

Zelenskyy and Trump Meet

The Associated Press wrote on September 27:

“Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met face-to-face with Donald Trump  Friday with public tensions rising between the two over Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion… Trump has for months criticized U.S. support for Ukraine and derided Zelenskyy as a ‘salesman’ for persuading Washington to provide weapons and funding to his military as it tries to fend off Moscow…

“In an interview with The New Yorker that was published earlier this week, Zelenskyy implied Trump does not understand and oversimplifies the conflict. The Ukrainian leader said Trump’s running mate JD Vance was ‘too radical’ and has essentially advocated for Ukraine to ‘make a sacrifice’ by ‘giving up its territories.’…”

Zelenskyy stated that both he and Trump agree that Putin “cannot win the war.”  It is unclear what is meant by that phrase. If the intention was to say that he must not win the war, that would be one thing; if it was meant to say that Putin will be unable to win the war, then that would be illusionary. Note the next article.

Ukraine Should Be Talking About Peace

The Ron Paul Institute added on September 28:

Russia is gaining territory quickly because Ukraine is low on manpower. No amount of NATO technology or weaponry is going to help this fundamental weakness.  This is the reality in Ukraine; they are losing the war… Zelensky is dead-set on getting permission to use US and European long range missile systems against targets deep within Russia… So far the Biden Administration has refrained from supporting the long range option, but has offered another $8 billion in support.  Under a Trump presidency, the money train is likely to stop abruptly.

“Zelensky has offered no practical measures for negotiations, arguing that concessions are off the table.  Furthermore, he claims that peace is only possible once Ukraine has taken back all territory seized by Russia, including Crimea which was annexed in 2014.  He then demanded that Russia pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction and that Putin and a multitude of other Russian officials be handed over to be tried for war crimes.  This is never going to happen.

“The core of Ukraine’s victory plan relies on long range strikes using NATO guided missiles and acceptance into NATO.  Both factors at this stage would cause WWIII

“Many officials within the US and Europe have given Zelensky delusions of grandeur about his chances, perhaps because they want the war to grind on forever.  These same officials have hinted consistently that they will not accept a Ukrainian loss.   Regardless of what side people think should win, the fact is that Russia is the inevitable victor according to all the evidence on hand…. The longer the war goes on the greater the chances of a powder keg moment and a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.  Ukraine should not be talking about ‘victory’, that time has come and gone. They should be talking about peace.”

The Western press keeps repeating the mantra that Ukraine is winning the war. This is not supported by the facts. In any event, Russia and Ukraine will unite, no matter who “wins” the war.

Europe Prepared for a Suicide Venture?

Newsweek wrote on September 28:

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov… issued a new nuclear warning during the… (U.N.) General Assembly on Saturday…   NATO leaders have increasingly warned that direct conflict with Moscow is a realistic danger as it has more nuclear warheads than any other country…  Lavrov… warned Washington, D.C. as well as London to prepare for a ‘suicide venture’ pointing out the ‘pointlessness and danger of the very idea to fight to victory with a nuclear power like Russia.’

“‘A goal has been declared to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia – almost like London and Washington planned in May 1945 as they developed “Operation Unthinkable” on destruction of the Soviet Union even before the end of World War II. Back then, it was a closely held secret. The Anglo-Saxon strategists of today, however, make no secret of their intentions. So far, they expect to defeat Russia with the hands of the illegitimate neo-Nazi Kiev regime, but they already prepare Europe to leap into a suicide venture as well,’ Lavrov said.”

Again, none of these Russian warnings should be taken lightly.

Belgium Unhappy with Pope and Catholic Church

The Associated Press wrote on September 27:

“Belgium’s prime minister blasted Pope Francis for the Catholic Church’s horrific legacy of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups here, demanding ‘concrete steps’ to come clean with the past and put victims’ interests ahead those of the institution in a blistering welcome at the start of Francis’ visit on Friday.

“The speech by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip, where the genteel dictates of diplomatic protocol usually keeps outrage out of the public remarks. But even King Philippe had strong words for Francis, demanding the church work ‘incessantly’ to atone for the crimes and help victims heal.

“Their tone underscored just how raw the abuse scandal still is in Belgium, where two decades of revelations of abuse and systematic cover-ups have devastated the hierarchy’s credibility and contributed to an overall decline in Catholicism and the influence of the once-powerful Catholic Church…

“The prime minister, king and pope also referred to a new church-related scandal rocking Belgium, over so-called ‘forced adoptions,’ which echoed earlier revelations about Ireland’s so-called mother and baby homes.  After World War II and through the 1980s, many single mothers were forced by the Belgian church into offering their newborns up for adoption. Often they barely saw their babies before nuns took them away, and the babies were then placed for adoption, with money changing hands. For those adopted, it is close to impossible now to find out who their birth mothers were, since the records have long ago disappeared.

“Francis said he was ‘saddened’ to learn of these practices, but said such criminality was ‘mixed in with what was unfortunately the prevailing view in all parts of society at this time… Many believed in conscience that they were doing something good for both the child and the mother,’ he said, referring to the social stigma of an unwed mother in a Catholic country… [it is estimated] it affected up to 30,000 babies…”

These scandals in the Catholic Church are as old as the Catholic Church, and they will continue. Only at times, the tip of the iceberg reaches the surface, but one can only imagine what is all going on in the abyss below.

The Catholic Church’s New Seven Capital Sins

FSSPX News wrote on September 30:

“Here is the [new] list of [capital] sins, as the Synod document describes them:

  • Sin against peace
  • Sin against creation, against indigenous populations, against migrants
  • Sin of abuse
  • Sin against women, family, youth
  • Sin of using doctrine as stones to be hurled
  • Sin against poverty
  • Sin against synodality / lack of listening, communion, and participation of all

“Some of them are too general and can cover many situations: the sin against poverty can be a lack of assistance to the poor, or even wastefulness. The sin against the family can cover divorce, contraception, abortion, surrogacy… The latter is also a sin against surrogate women, a kind of slavery.

“It is curious that there is a sin against youth, but no sin against old age: euthanasia is already rife in many countries, and seeks to spread to every continent. As for the sin of abuse, it’s a vast spectrum: abuse through physical violence, sexual violence, abuse of power, abuse of corporate assets.

“… it should be noted that these sins reflect the preoccupations of a Pope who has a personal conception of certain current issues, and who often comes to forget the essentials because of this bias

“As for the sin against migrants, it has taken on an increasingly sharp tone recently, to the point of asserting that turning away migrants is a grave sin. This would only be conceivable in cases of grave danger to the migrant’s life…

“But the one that appears most strikingly strange is the last one: ‘Sin against synodality’ or ‘lack of listening, communion, and participation of all.’… Should we see this as an accusation against bishops—and possibly priests—who defend episcopal power and refuse to see it diluted in the ‘common priesthood’ of the faithful? Should we see it as a ‘landmine’ prepared for participants in the synodal Assembly who wish to reject what is being cunningly prepared in this Synod? Should we anticipate a forthcoming sin ‘against democracy in the Church’, which would be nothing more than a negation of the hierarchical structure that Christ willed for the supernatural society He founded? But doesn’t this sin against synodality already savor of that? It certainly does. And that is undoubtedly why it’s on this list…”

Austria in the News

NBC News wrote on September 28, BEFORE the election on Sunday:

“Politics in a central European country of just 10 million people might not seem consequential. But that’s not the case in Austria, where there’s a good chance its election Sunday will be won by a far-right, pro-Russia party… A win for the Freedom Party, or FPÖ, would not just have historical connotations — Austria was the birthplace of Adolf Hitler — it could tilt the balance of power between Russia and the West...

“The FPÖ is led by Herbert Kickl, 55, a wiry, acerbic provocateur in designer glasses. He has been branded as ‘Volkskanzler’ or ‘People’s Chancellor,’ by his party, a term most associated with the Nazis who used it to describe Hitler. Indeed the FPÖ was founded in the 1950s by former members of Hiter’s paramilitary group the SS, although Kickl and his supporters reject the modern-day comparison…

“Kickl’s vision is to build  ‘Fortress Austria’ and ‘Fortress Europe,’ as he put it during a debate on Austrian public television Thursday night. That would involve a dramatic overhaul of Austria’s immigration system, registering all new arrivals and detaining them in specialist facilities. The party is also proposing to introduce ‘remigration’ of ‘unwanted strangers’ — deporting migrants to their country of origin.

“… the FPÖ’s influence could extend far beyond its own borders. It has for years been sympathetic toward Russia, not just calling for an end to Europe’s support for Ukraine but also advocating an end to the sanctions placed on Russia over its war. In 2016, party leader Heinz-Christian Strache signed a formal ‘cooperation pact’ with Putin’s United Russia party…“It has been a junior coalition partner before,  but crashed out in 2019 after Strache was secretly recorded offering to fix government contracts with a woman posing as the relative of a Russian oligarch…

“This time, an FPÖ-led Austria could form a Ukraine-skeptical bloc with like-minded neighbors, Slovakia and Hungary, the latter led by Trump ally Victor Orban… Its election would be the latest chapter in a rightward lurch across Europe, with voters rejecting mainstream centrists not just over immigration and the economy, but the environment and so-called ‘culture war’ issues, too… A coalition is almost certain —  not an easy task when the FPÖ is so vilified by opponents.”

In 1970, Jörg Haider became the leader of the FPÖ youth movement and headed it until 1974. Haider rose rapidly through the party ranks. In 1972, at the age of 22, he was already a well-established leader and was made party affairs manager of the Carinthian FPÖ in 1976. In early 2000, FPÖ leader Jörg Haider made a deal with the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) to form a coalition government.

Haider had been in line to become Austrian chancellor. But strong international pressure convinced both parties to give the chancellor post to the ÖVP. Haider stepped down as FPÖ chief in February 2000. Just 13 days after the elections in 2008,  Haider died in a mysterious car crash in southern Austria. His wife claimed that foul play was involved.

It has been reported that Kickl had been the speech writer for Haider, and also for his successor, Heinz-Christian Strache.

The FPÖ Wins!

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 29:

“Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has scored a historic victory, winning the country’s parliamentary election for the first time. According to the preliminary official results, the FPÖ garnered 29.2% of votes, followed by Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s center-right conservative ÖVP with 26.48%… The FPÖ now has the most seats in the new Austrian parliament. Turnout stood at 74.9%, slightly down from the previous election in 2019…

“On Sunday evening, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl said his party was ready to negotiate with other political forces… Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen also told political parties to hold talks to form a government... Chancellor Nehammer (ÖVP) conceded defeat by Sunday evening

“Despite the far-right party’s historic victory, it does not have enough seats to form a government on its own and would require a coalition. The Social Democrats already ruled out such an agreement, but the ÖVP has not…

“The head of Germany’s far-right AfD party, Alice Weidel, congratulated FPÖ after the projections were published. The German party… shares large elements of its ideology with FPÖ…

“During the campaign, Nehammer sought to portray FPÖ’s Kickl as a toxic extremist and said he would not be working with him, but signaled the conservatives could cooperate with the FPÖ as a whole. On Sunday, the incumbent chancellor doubled down on his rejection of Kickl…

“The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has been in government several times but it has never topped a national vote before Sunday… Under [Kickl’s] abrasive leadership, the party… has seen its popularity rebound on voter anger and anxieties over COVID restrictions, migration, inflation and the Ukraine war…”

Newsmax added on September 29:

“Austrian voters handed a first-ever general election victory to the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) on Sunday… underlining rising support for hard-right parties in Europe fueled by concern over immigration levels…. The FPO victory [makes] Austria the latest EU country to register surging far-right support after gains in countries including the Netherlands, France and Germany.”

Politics Made in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 28:

“The parliament in the eastern German state of Thuringia elected Thadäus König of the conservative … CDU  as its new speaker on Saturday. The speaker presides over the parliament and has the power to call lawmakers to session at any moment… König was competing for the speakership against a nominee from the… AfD, Wiebke Muhsal. König was able to secure a majority of 54 out of 88 total seats, which included members of center and far-left parties.  It comes after the AfD placed first in the September 1 regional election in Thuringia, garnering almost 33% of the vote. The CDU, meanwhile, came in second in that election with almost 24% of the vote. 

“As a result of the September 1 vote, the AfD managed to win over a third of all seats in Thuringia’s parliament. The AfD thus had priority in putting forward a parliamentary speaker candidate, although the other parties vowed to block the far-right nominee for the post…

“The CDU… turned to Thuringia’s constitutional court. The court ruled against the AfD, paving the way for the CDU to put forward König as its speaker candidate… The CDU is currently trying to form a government in Thuringia, bypassing the AfD. In order to form a ruling coalition in the state, the CDU is negotiating with the center-left… SPD  and the left-wing populist, anti-immigration… BSW.” 

The constant attempts by the main parties to bypass the AfD, and the ongoing negative reporting in the mainstream media about the AfD, will backfire. 

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

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How do you view paganism today, and exactly what is it? (Part 4)

In part 3, we looked at the fact that paganism is the very opposite of belief in a supreme Creator God and is inextricably linked with occult practices.  We looked at a small selection of verses from the Bible to show its consistency in condemning such practices.

In the last part of this four-part series, we will look at a number of well-researched sources that show that paganism has been a part of mainstream Christianity for a very long time.  This practice is called syncretism—the mixture of godly and ungodly practices (is this meant to be repeated or is a word missing?). Syncretism was extant in Old Testament times.   Let us look at just one section of Scripture outlining this in Deuteronomy 12:29-32:

“When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD  which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.”

God gave the ancient Israelites clear instructions about not following what surrounding nations did, but they didn’t listen to and heed the warnings.  Elements of pagan worship were incorporated against the clear instructions from God not to do so – for their own benefit.

Moving on to the New Testament, we read in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1959, vol. 5, p. 642 the following about “Christmas”: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church…. Christmas customs are an evolution from the times that long antedated the Christian period—a descent from seasonal, pagan, religious and national practices, hedged about with legend and tradition.”

In an article, “Catholicism Confronts New Age Syncretism” by Bernard D. Green, we read the following interesting information:

“They recently ran a story about the possibility that the Catholic feminist movement known as Women-Church was losing all connection with Catholic tradition. The report said that an upcoming Women-Church conference would have, in addition to rituals by witches, rituals led by ‘Buddhists, American Indians, Quakers and Jewish leaders–as well as by Catholic nuns.’

“This syncretistic mentality is widespread in the Church today. Witness the following description of the program of a respected Midwestern Catholic center for spirituality: ‘Readings are selected every day from the sacred texts of Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Islam, as well as Christianity. On occasion, ancient festivals of the Celts or Saxons are remembered, and members dance around a maypole or fire-pit in the fields or forest…. The Chapel is visually stimulating and instructive…. Icons of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Risen Christ are placed side by side with statues of Buddha, Lord Vishnu and Moses.’”

The above details are quite shocking but hardly unexpected in today’s religious supermarket.  We know that modern Christianity has much syncretism within its structure; for example, Christmas and Easter and other worldly and non-biblical saints days are all derived from paganism.

Will Durant and his wife wrote the following in Volume III, titled “Caesar and Christ” (1944, p. 595: “Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it…. [T]he Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass. Other pagan cultures contributed to the syncretist result. From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity, the Last Judgment, and a personal immortality of reward and punishment; from Egypt the adoration of the Mother and Child…. From Phrygia came the worship of the Great Mother; from Syria the resurrection drama of Adonis…. The Mithraic ritual so closely resembled the eucharistic sacrifice of the mass that Christian fathers charged the Devil with inventing these similarities to mislead frail minds. [Nicaean] Christianity was the last great creation of the ancient pagan world.”

On another website, the question is asked “what do these two – Christianity and paganism” have in common?  The answer is given as follows: “The roots of Christianity are interlaced with ancient pagan traditions and elements, mainly because the Church gained power through conversion. In order to convert the people of Europe (and the world) from their pagan beliefs, the Church felt they had to turn them against their beliefs by fear or adopt the pagan beliefs into the Christian religion.”

We can see this in mainstream Christianity where the Roman Catholic Church has so much of this embedded in their “belief” system.  The true Church of God, down through the ages, has stayed with the Truth as outlined in the Word of God.  This approach which we read in the New Testament is very different from that which is practiced by the mainstream today where syncretism in the true Church of God has not been accepted, nor is it practiced.

When congregations of the true Church of God began, however, to engage in pagan practices, then they ceased very soon to be part of the true Church of God.

There are other books that have been written showing how apostolic Christianity survived but other forces were accepted into the apostate church from early on.  In the book “A History of the True Church,” the writers, Dugger and Dodd, make these comments on page 57 which discuss the period 100 AD to 200 AD.  They quote Hurlbutt in his “Story of the Christian Church” on page 41, as follows: “For 50 years after St Paul’s life, a curtain hangs over the church, through which we vainly strive to look; and when it at last rises, about 129 AD with the writings of the earliest church-fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St Peter and St Paul.”

The Two Babylons” by Alexander Hislop is an interesting and well researched book quoting from hundreds of sources with 621 illustrations, showing the connections between the Roman Catholic Church and ancient paganism, and in his conclusion the writer states: “I have now finished the task that I proposed to myself.   Even yet the evidence is not nearly exhausted; but on the evidence which has been adduced, I appeal to the reader if I have not proved every point which I engaged to demonstrate.   Is there one, who has candidly considered the proof which has been led, that now doubts that Rome is the Apocalyptic Babylon?   Is there one who will venture to deny that, from the foundation of the topmost stone, it is essentially a system of paganism?”

In August 2017, a columnist in the Guardian newspaper wrote the following: “‘Five centuries after the Reformation triggered a series of long and bloody religious wars across Europe; modern-day Protestants and Catholics believe they have more in common theologically than they do differences, and most would be willing to accept each other as neighbours and family members. Theological differences that split western Christianity in the 1500s have diminished to a degree that might have shocked Christians in past centuries,’ says a report by the Washington-based Pew Research Center.” 

This commonality can be seen in the keeping of Christmas, Easter celebrations, belief in a trinity, Sunday keeping (not the true Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), the keeping of saints days and the ignoring of God’s commanded annual Feast Days, pouring or sprinkling in infant baptisms and other areas.  Both Roman Catholics and Protestants have accepted syncretism in their churches which is roundly condemned by God, and paganism concepts have been part of their journey.

In the book “The Golden Bough” by Sir James Frazer, a thick tome of over 750 pages, he writes the following: “Thus it appears that the Christian Church chose to celebrate the birthday of its Founder on the 25th December in order to transfer the devotion of the heathen from the Sun to him who was called the Sun of Righteousness.   If that was so, there can be no intrinsic improbability in the conjecture that motives of the same sort may have led the ecclesiastical authorities to assimilate the Easter festival of the death of their Lord to the festival of the death and resurrection of another Asiatic god which fell at the same season.  Now the Easter rites still observed in Greece, Sicily and southern Italy bear in some respects a striking resemblance to the rites of Adonis, and I have suggested that the Church may have consciously adapted the new festival to its heathen predecessor for the sake of winning souls for Christ” (page 359).

“Taken altogether, the coincidences of the Christian with the heathen festivals are too close and too numerous to be accidental.  They marked the compromise which the Church in the hour of its triumph was compelled to make with its vanquished yet still dangerous rivals” (ibid, page 361).

Please see our booklet “Don’t Keep Christmas” for a very thorough explanation on this subject.

In the book “Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries,” historian Ramsay MacMullen writes, “The triumph of the church was one not of obliteration [of non-Christian beliefs] but of widening embrace and assimilation” (1997, p. 159).

In his book, “A Concise History of the Early Church,” author Norbert Brox wrote on page 14, after discussing the Roman Empire: “… emperor worship belongs with different degrees of emphasis to the official religion of the state, which mainly consisted in the divine cults of ancient religion.  Christianity was confronted with a paganism with religious vitality, not with morbid, played out religion.   Religion dominated private and public life.   People lived by the rhythm of religious festivals, and in a world full of divine and demonic powers.   Here the state looked after its sacral institutions, temples, priests and cults.   For as duty towards the gods, on whom the empire was dependent for its prosperity (salus publica) religion was primarily a state matter, on which the state could enforce.  This description of the pagan world has already indicated the problems which arose for Christianity and influenced its development.”

On page 15 of the same book is an admission that “Christianity had contacts with all these forms of alien religion: with the classic religion of antiquity, the cult of emperor and state, the mysteries or oriental religion.  This left deep traces of syncretism (= a fusion of different religious phenomena) in the theology, structures and self-understanding of the early church.”

One writer opined that “Syncretism continues to be a powerful tool to separate God from His people.”

The question was asked “What is Truth?” by Pontius Pilate, the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, during the illegal trial of Jesus, and he asked this question as recorded in John 18:37-38:

Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no fault in Him at all.’”

In the previous chapter, in John 17:17, when Jesus was praying for His disciples, He said: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

We have only scratched the surface of how much mainstream Christianity has accepted pagan influences in its practices—practices that God clearly condemns in His Word.   The true Church of God has down through the ages stuck with their understanding of apostolic Christianity which is a far cry from what mainstream has practiced for a very long time.

And that is where we finish up.  The Word of God is our guide to life and syncretism must be dismissed.   Paganism must not be part of our Way of Life as we follow the Ways of God as clearly expressed in the Bible.

No other way is acceptable to God!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Scandals and Falsehoods in the Catholic Church,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

“You might wonder why you should listen to this program, if you are not a Catholic. You might think you are not affected by what is being discussed here. But you would be awfully mistaken. The scandals within the Catholic Church; the pope’s “justifications”; and a new catalog of alleged “capital” sins are mind-boggling, but far too many—Catholic or not—might agree with the falsehoods which are being presented by the pope and his Synod.”

 A new Member Letter (October 2024) has been posted and mailed to our subscribers. Evangelist Norbert Link writes warning against false doctrines which lead to deception. He also points out that if we obey God by keeping the Sabbath and annual Holy Days, “we will be God’s people, and He will be our God”!

Gottes Warnung an die Nationen (Posaunenfest 2024)” is the title of the Feast of Trumpets German sermon, presented by Norbert Link.

“Warum sind wir in Gottes Kirche?” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Dmitrij Niemann, is now posted. Title in English: “Why Are We in God’s Church?”

“Israel’s Countless Enemies–Comments on News and Prophecy, September 28,2024,” last Sabbath’s first message, presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The UN wants Jerusalem’s Old City, Judea and Samaria to become “Judenrein”; Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas speaks of the danger of the Third Temple; the world is consumed by Anti-Semitism; the USA and Germany have failed to bring peace to the Middle East; Israel attacks Lebanon and kills the leaders of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, Hassan Nasrallah and Ibrahim Aqil, and other officials; and many speak of further escalation involving outside powers. Israel is facing numerous enemies—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, the UN, Russia and China… the list seems to be endless. Not to forget Germany, France and most of Europe. Can Israel win such a war which is being fought on multiple fronts?

“The Cure for the Hardened Heart!” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We have to maintain a heart that is soft and usable by God. What happens when we have hardened hearts? Are there Spiritual consequences for having a hard heart?

FALL HOLY DAYS:

Feast of Trumpets–October 3, 2024

Day of Atonement—October 12, 2024

Feast of Tabernacles—October 17-23, 2024

Last Great Day—October 24, 2024

Note: These services will be broadcast live.

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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 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

Comments on News and Prophecy, September 28, 2024 / The Cure for the Hardened Heart!

On September 28, 2024, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy, September 28, 2024,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “The Cure for the Hardened Heart!”

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.

NOTE: Next Thursday, October 3, is the Feast of Trumpets. The sermonette will be given by Kalon Mitchell, and the sermon will be given by Norbert Link.

This Week in the News

Israel-Lebanon War Escalates

The Sun wrote on September 20:

“A wanted Hezbollah terror chief has been killed in a deadly Israeli airstrike on Beirut.

“The devastating strike came just moments after the militant group launched 140 of their own rockets at northern Israel – with one even blasting a playground… The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed top brass Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, from their Radwan Force, was eliminated in today’s strike…  The Hezbollah chief was seen as the second in command of the Iran backed militia. [The US had offered a $7 million bounty for him.] Some 10 other senior chiefs from the terror group were killed alongside Aqil, Israel said.

“The Israeli air attack came just before Hezbollah launched their own menacing attack across the border. Three separate Hezbollah barrages, made up of Katyusha rockets, were recorded today with the first being made up of over 60 missiles. Minutes later the biggest collection of rockets was let off from Lebanon with 70 being reported by the IDF. Another 20 were then reportedly launched at the Mount Meron region in Israel.

“Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has also declared the start of a ‘new phase’ of war as the country’s army moved north in recent weeks. The announcement paves the way for the first full-scale invasion of southern Lebanon since 2006 in a drive to push back the terror group and allow Israelis to return home.”

Of course, the world condemns Israel, while few condemn with the same vigor the terrorist activities of Hezbollah.

Newsmax wrote on September 22:

“Hezbollah and Israel exchanged heavy fire into Sunday, as the Lebanese militant group sent rockets deep into northern Israeli territory after facing some of the most intense bombardment in almost a year of conflict… Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said operations would continue until it was safe for evacuated people on his side of the border to return – also setting the stage for a long conflict as Hezbollah has vowed to fight on until a ceasefire in the parallel Gaza war…

“Israel wants Hezbollah to cease fire and withdraw forces from the border region, adhering to a U.N. resolution signed with Israel in 2006, irrespective of any Gaza deal. Tens of thousands of people have left their homes on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border since Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel in October in sympathy with Palestinians in Gaza.”

Hezbollah Strikes Tel Aviv

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 25:

“Hezbollah said it targeted a Mossad base after one of the group’s leaders was killed in a strike on Beirut. Israel intercepted the missile and said it was the first time Hezbollah had targeted Tel Aviv

“The Israeli military said the move represented ‘an escalation.’ It all comes after senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Kobeisi, who headed the group’s missile and rocket force, was killed in Beirut on Tuesday.”

UN the Diplomatic Arm of Hamas?

Israel Today wrote on September 20:

“Jerusalem’s Old City, in addition to Judea and Samaria, must be Judenrein within a year, according to a Palestinian-drafted resolution, which the UN General Assembly passed on Wednesday. The resolution, which passed by a 124-14 margin with 43 abstentions, is meant to give force to a July advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which declared Israeli presence to be illegal in any area over the 1949 armistice line. More than 40 countries sponsored the resolution, which was the first that Palestinians filed after being granted unprecedented privileges, for a non-UN member, earlier this year.

“The resolution calls on the Israel Defense Forces to withdraw completely from Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip within 12 months, which means evacuating all Jewish communities beyond the armistice line, including Jerusalem’s Old City. It also bans arms sales to the IDF of any equipment that would be expected reasonably to be used in the territory over the 1949 lines and calls for a boycott of all products produced by Jews in those areas…

“General Assembly resolutions have no legal force, but the resolution’s passage on Wednesday is expected to be used in international courts and other fora to seek additional action against the Jewish state…

“Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called it ‘a shameful decision that backs the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic terrorism.’ He added that the General Assembly ‘continues to dance to the music of the Palestinian Authority, which backs the Hamas murderers.’…

“Arsen Ostrovsky and Nadav Steinman, CEO and board chair, respectively, of the International Legal Forum, stated that ‘today, simply put, the United Nations has become the diplomatic arm of Hamas’... ‘All it does is reward the murderers, rapists and abductors of Hamas while pouring further fuel on worldwide antisemitism and eroding whatever remaining credibility of the already problematic and politicized International Court of Justice, upon which this resolution is meant to be based,’ they added…”

The Israeli anger directed at the duplicity and hypocrisy of the UN is totally understandable.

Iran’s Grand Ambition

The Algemeiner wrote on September 19:

“Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon lambasted Iran for being a puppet master ‘pulling the strings’ of terrorist groups across the Middle East, describing them as ‘Iran’s attack dogs’ while addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday. Danon stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran, which he described as ‘the most oppressive regime in the world,’ wants ‘dominance, not diplomacy.’ ‘The country’s ‘grand ambition’ is the ‘creation of a Shiite supremacist empire that stretches across the entire Middle East and beyond,’ he insisted…

“‘The dark force driving the violence we see today is not a collection of independent groups. It is Iran pulling the strings. The Iran proxies — Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis in Yemen, Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and terrorist cells in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] — are all Iran’s attack dogs unleashed to spread death and destruction across the region.’ Danon also described the different terror cells as the ‘claws of a beast’ that is Iran.

“The ambassador then shifted his attention to the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of ‘standing by, utterly weak and impotent,’ by turning a blind eye to Iran’s terrorist actions or ‘actively collaborating with these terror networks.’ He once again criticized the PA’s leadership, including President Mahmoud Abbas, for refusing to condemn Hamas since the terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel.”

Danon stated the obvious, but most members of the Security Council [and many countries in the world] are willfully closing their eyes and ears so that they cannot see and hear.

France vs. Israel

Israel Today wrote on September 22:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron held a difficult conversation last week over the escalating situation in Lebanon, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Friday. According to the report, Macron, who initiated the call, hurled harsh accusations at the Israeli premier for leading Israel and Lebanon to the brink of a full-scale war. ‘The responsibility to prevent escalation is yours. You can opt for a diplomatic solution. This is the moment to show leadership and responsibility. Your activity in the north is pushing the region to war,’ Macron was quoted in the report as saying.

“Netanyahu replied: ‘Instead of putting the pressure on us, it’s about time you pressured Hezbollah. We will bring our residents back home [in the north]. This is the decision we made this week and we will act on it.’ On Thursday, France voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution proposed by the Palestinian Authority to impose sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel.”

Macron wants to be a leader of Europe, but he has been failing miserably. Now, he is venting his anger on Israel. But Germany’s Olaf Scholz and his staff are not any better. Note the next article.

Germany’s Failing  Policy

Focus wrote on September 20:

“The UN General Assembly calls by a large majority on Israel to vacate the occupied Palestinian territories. Germany abstains from the resolution…  FOCUS online chief correspondent Ulrich Reitz [wrote:] ‘Ultimately it turns out that the Israel strategy of Annalena Baerbock and the Foreign Office is simply embarrassing for Germany. The UN, under the leadership of Secretary General Antonio Guterres, is no longer an organization that can be unreservedly claimed to be on the side of law and international order…

“‘Already after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Germany abstained from a resolution. Then as now, the justification was that we wanted to keep channels of communication open to all sides.’ However, this is not an argument for Reitz. ‘If the channels of discussion are open to all sides, then one simply has to say that this German foreign policy has led to nothing. You have to attest to a complete lack of influence here.’… Baerbock’s numerous visits to the Middle East had no effect… no one was listening…

“Reitz finds the Foreign Office’s call for de-escalation from both sides to be misplaced. There can be no equality between the Israeli government and a terrorist organization… ‘We are dealing with a democratically legitimized government on the one hand… and a bunch of terrorists on the other. Those in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have decided to drive Israel into the sea and eradicate the Jewish state.”

Germany’s stance may not be only one of incompetence. Germany’s lip services for supporting Israel have long been more than dubious.

Too Political!

The Algemeiner wrote on September 20:

“Eden Golan, Israel’s representative in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, will perform her original song ‘October Rain’ at the United Nations to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel…

“The lyrics of ‘October Rain’ reference the Oct. 7 massacre…  Golan had originally planned to perform ‘October Rain’ at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, but the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the contest, rejected the song, deeming it too political. Golan instead competed in the Eurovision with a reworded version of the song that was retitled ‘Hurricane.’

“Golan finished in fifth place in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest… after being booed on stage by anti-Israel protesters, experiencing death threats, and having one of the competition’s jury members refuse to give her points because of his personal opposition to Israel…”

European antisemitism, from the top down, is shameful, shocking and VERY dangerous. But it IS prophesied.

Milei, Erdogan and Pezeshkian Speak at UN

Breitbart wrote on September 24:

Argentine President Javier Milei used his debut speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to deliver an enthusiastic condemnation of ‘globalism and the moral posturing of the woke agenda’ and warn that the U.N. flagship Agenda 2030 is a threat to global freedom… Milei launched into a searing condemnation of the recent United Nations record, condemning its support of Wuhan coronavirus lockdowns and its support of totalitarian regimes…

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spent over half of his very lengthy address to the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday criticizing Israel for its war against the terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah. Erdogan accused the Israelis of genocide, compared them to Nazi Germany, and demanded the U.N. authorize ‘coercive measures against Israel’ to halt the war in Gaza…. Erdogan extensively regurgitated Hamas propaganda about the war in Gaza, absurdly insisting that almost all of the casualties were ‘women and children’ deliberately targeted by Israel in a campaign of genocide… ‘Just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by an alliance of humanity,’ he declared…

“Nowhere in Erdogan’s speech was there even the slightest mention of why Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza, and now Hezbollah in Lebanon… At the end of his long speech, Erdogan… launched a spirited attack against the LGBTQIAP2S+ movement, describing it as a threat to ‘the institution of the family,’ which is a ‘pillar of society.’… Erdogan said the homosexual agenda has become ‘a war against the sacred and human nature,’ a ‘multidimensional, comprehensive, and ruthless project of destruction.’”…

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used his address to the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday to attack Israel on behalf of Iran’s terrorist clients in Hama… Pezeshkian criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump for withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal… without mentioning the Iranian cheating that prompted Trump to withdraw… The Iranian leader pitched his closing remarks as a direct statement to the American people, implicitly either pleading with them, or threatening them, not to send Trump back to the White House.”

There are reports that Iran has been, and probably continues to be, trying to assassinate Trump.

Biden’s Embarrassing Farewell Address

The New York Post wrote on September 24:

“Biden has not yet come to grips with reality. He dishonestly suggests he voluntarily passed the party’s torch to his vice president, declaring that ‘Some things are more important than staying in power.’ …

“Indeed, the widespread belief that we are now closer than ever to World War III captures the truth of Biden’s disastrous term. Rarely if ever have things gotten so bad so fast. ..

“Vladimir Putin saw the sudden withdrawal as proof that America was in retreat and decided the time was ripe for an invasion of Ukraine… Iran smelled the weakness and unleashed the hell of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis on Israel. Yet, repeating the mistakes of Barack Obama, Biden continues to reward Iran with sanctions relief and punishes Israel by withholding arms and isolating it on the world stage… Then there’s China, which had to be giddy when Biden made excuses after one of its spy balloons flew openly across America’s heartland.”

Fox wrote on September 25:

“President Biden’s swan song on the world stage…  was a sad demonstration of American weakness… He repeated the mantra that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon, despite the fact that even the UN’s Atomic Energy Agency and everybody listening, knows that under his watch Iran has already become a threshold nuclear power….

“President Biden… lost his moral compass entirely… Antisemitism that is promoted and incited by the United Nations and those in his General Assembly audience. Antisemitism that is now doing enormous damage to a tolerant and peaceful America. Antisemitism that fuels the Iranian threat to world peace. .. Biden’s final speech was an opportunity to be honest and chastise the United Nations itself as an impediment to tolerance, equality and world peace.  He squandered it.”

Newsmax added on September 24:

“Biden addressed the U.N. General Assembly for the final time and urged an end to the Middle East conflict between Israel and Iran’s proxy groups while at the same time praising the military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Trump’s campaign’s statement noted that the world has already witnessed the ‘devastation wrought by four years of Harris-Biden, and nothing can mask it.’

“Biden told the assembly that the world ‘is stronger than we think’ and noted his accomplishment of ‘ending’ of the war in Afghanistan. The Trump campaign took issue with Biden’s claim and called it ‘among the biggest foreign policy debacles in modern history’ adding it ‘resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and gave the Taliban safe haven for their reign of terror. Kamala [Harris], who has never said the names of the fallen heroes out loud, bragged about being the ‘last person in the room’ for the decisions that led to the withdrawal.” 

The Future of Olaf Scholz

Express published the following article on September 20, BEFORE the anxiously awaited state election in the eastern German state of Brandenburg:

“Voters go to the polls in the east German state of Brandenburg on Sunday, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces the prospect of being replaced by his own party if it goes as badly as the most recent regional elections. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) will be hoping to claim victory in the rural state, just as they did in Thuringia at the start of September.

“In that election, Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) managed a meagre 6.1 percent of the vote, as the AfD blew apart the federal governing coalition with almost an 33 percent vote share. On the same day, the neighbouring state of Saxony held their election, in which the SPD once again performed miserably. The party won just 7.3 percent of the vote as they were annihilated by the Christian Democrats (CDU) on 31.9 percent, the AfD on 30.6 percent and the recently formed ‘left conservative’ Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) on 11.8 percent.

“Analysts believe another drubbing could see the Chancellor replaced by the far more popular defense minister Boris Pistorius, echoing how the Democrats dispensed with Joe Biden when he proved to be an electoral liability. The German federal elections are being held in a year’s time and as it stands the SPD under Scholz are tanking in the polls. According to Politico’s Poll of Polls, the SPD are on just 14 percent nationally, five points behind the AfD and 18 points behind the CDU – Angela Merkel’s old party – on 32 percent.”

As it turned out, Scholz’ SPD did not perform as poorly as feared. Note the next article.

SPD Wins Narrowly Over AfD

Thomson/Reuters wrote on September 22:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) [did] fend off the far-right in a state election in Brandenburg on Sunday after trailing behind the Alternative for Germany (AfD) throughout the campaign…  The SPD, which has governed the state surrounding the capital Berlin since reunification in 1990, scored [30.9 %] of the vote, ahead of the far-right Alternative for Germany on 29.2%, in a last-minute comeback…

“The success for the SPD could give Scholz a slight reprieve from party discussions about his suitability to be once more its chancellor candidate for the federal election scheduled for next September given his unpopularity with voters. It is unlikely, however, to give him or his party a major boost given the popular, incumbent SPD premier Dietmar Woidke had distanced himself from Scholz during the campaign and criticized the federal government’s policies…

“Three-quarters of those who voted for the SPD did not do so out of conviction but rather to fend off the AfD…  The SPD is polling just 15% at national level, down from the 25.7% it scored in the 2021 federal election. That is behind the AfD on around 20% and opposition conservatives on 32%.

“All three parties in Scholz’s ideologically heterogeneous coalition combined are currently polling at around 30%, less than the conservatives [CDU] alone. The coalition has come under fire for its constant bickering and for its handling of immigration. In the formerly Communist-run East, many voters are also critical of its delivery of weapons to Ukraine to help it fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion…

“Woidke warned against complacency, noting the AfD was still gaining momentum. The ZDF poll suggested it had gained 5.7 percentage points since the last Brandenburg election in 2019. AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla noted the AfD had made strong gains among young voters

“The new leftist Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht [came] in third place, on [13.5%], ahead of the conservatives [CDU] on [12.1%], underscoring the ongoing upheavals in Germany’s political landscape making predictions tricky.”

The other two coalition parties in the German government, the Green and the FDP, did not even reach the 5% threshold and did not make it into state parliament. The CDU did not do well in the Brandenburg election. The one who did best, overall in all three states, was the AfD.

It is difficult to see that Scholz (SPD) would be reelected next year. The CDU announced that Friedrich Merz would be their candidate for chancellorship—another highly controversial political figure who is accused of being out of touch with ordinary Germans while representing the interests of corporate elites over the people. Germany seems to stumble from one problem to the next.

Turbulent Times Ahead

Report 24 wrote on September 23:

“In Brandenburg, the SPD under Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke achieved a narrow victory in the 2024 state elections. With a razor-thin lead over the AfD, the SPD was able to maintain its position as the strongest force in the state, but the circumstances of this victory highlight the profound changes and challenges in the East German political landscape… The CDU… recorded the worst result in the East. In addition, the AfD also receives a blocking minority in Brandenburg.

“A decisive factor in the SPD victory was Prime Minister Woidke’s unusual tactics. In a dramatic appeal (which some people also viewed as blackmail), he threatened to resign if his party did not emerge as the strongest force in the election. This strategy proved successful in mobilizing voters from other parties willing to change, especially those who wanted to prevent the AfD from winning…

“While the AfD became the strongest force in all age groups under 60, the SPD owes its victory primarily to seniors. In the group of people over 60, the SPD was able to maintain a clear lead over the AfD, which ultimately made the difference. This trend shows a growing dissatisfaction among young people with the established parties and their turn to populist alternatives…

“The election also revealed the dwindling importance of some parties in eastern Germany. The Greens and FDP, which are still part of the government coalition at the federal level, hardly play a role in Brandenburg and the other eastern federal states. Both parties failed at the five percent hurdle and will therefore not be represented in the state parliament…

“The effects of the Brandenburg election extend far beyond the state’s borders. FDP Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki has already speculated about a possible early end to the traffic light coalition at the federal level. He expressed doubts that the government in Berlin would remain in office until Christmas. These statements underline the nervousness in the ranks of the governing parties in view of the election results in Brandenburg. Another notable aspect of the election was the loss of Prime Minister Woidke’s direct mandate. He lost to the AfD candidate in his constituency with a difference of just seven votes. This result symbolizes the fragility of the political situation and the growing strength of the AfD, including at the local level…

“The SPD’s narrow victory may promise short-term stability, but the underlying trends – particularly the AfD’s strength among younger voters and the weakness of the center parties – point to turbulent times in East German and possibly all-German politics.

Poor Choices

Report 24 wrote the following on September 23:

“The AfD’s success in the state elections in Brandenburg is remarkable, but democracy in the ‘best Germany of all time’ is in bad shape. The pluralistic system, in which people had a variety of political parties with different programs and priorities to choose from, was buried. Today, citizens can only choose between the united front of the cartel parties and the AfD. And as long as the new anti-German unity party can still scrape together enough votes, all votes for the opposition will be summarily declared invalid…

“In a democracy, it is unreasonable to effectively declare a third of the votes invalid by eliminating any hint of political participation by the elected party. The fairytale of the ‘right-wing extremist’ party, which should be prevented, is only spread on political grounds: This accusation from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is merely a ‘matter of interpretation by a non-independent authority with political officials who are bound by instructions’ (quote from the NZZ). How credible is a salesperson who tries to convince you that every product except his own is dangerous and harmful? Should this seller be put in the position of excluding all competition from the market?…”

German Governmental Green Pary in Disarray

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 25:

“Green party national co-chairman Omid Nouripour told reporters early on Wednesday that he and co-chair Ricarda Lang would be resigning their posts. ‘We came to the conclusion that a new start is needed,’ Nouripour said in Berlin. New leadership should be chosen at the party conference in November, he said. 

“The Greens have endured three disastrous state elections in eastern Germany this month. Most recently,  on Sunday in Brandenburg, they missed the 5% hurdle required to guarantee representation in parliament. ‘Sunday’s election result in Brandenburg is evidence of the most serious crisis in our party in a decade,’ Nouripour said. 

“In Germany’s political system, party leaders or chairpersons at the federal level are not necessarily also the party candidates for chancellor. This is also the case for the Greens. Currently, Economy Minister Robert Habeck is considered most likely to stand as the party’s chancellor candidate in next year’s federal elections, given that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said she does not want the position for a second consecutive election.”

“German Car Manufacturers Should Become American”

Focus wrote on September 25:

“Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would like to boost car manufacturing in the USA if he wins the election. Trump spoke about this on Tuesday at a campaign appearance in Georgia – and already has a clear idea of ​​how it works.

“He explained that he wanted to encourage German and other companies to move to the USA: ‘I want German car manufacturers to become American car manufacturers.’ VW, BMW and Mercedes, for example, should increase their locations in the USA.

“Trump also wants to attract companies with special economic benefits. These are intended to offer the ‘lowest taxes, lowest energy costs, lowest regulatory burden and free access to the best and largest market in the world’. All of this assuming they produce in the USA and employ Americans. Otherwise, Trump threatens high import tariffs.”

EU vs. NATO

The Financial Times wrote on or about September 20:

“The EU’s defence efforts were already diverting resources from existing Nato structures, senior alliance officials told the Financial Times. ‘If Europe is under attack, people need to know immediately who is in charge of responding to that,’ said one of the alliance officials… Competing structures create uncertainty . . . that only helps the enemy.’

“In particular, Nato is concerned by the proposed expansion of the EU Military Staff, a structure that oversees the bloc’s military missions. Officials said the plan could complicate critical chains of command in the event of conflict, and is diverting manpower from Nato’s own understaffed command structure at a time when generals are in short supply.

“Officials also warned that EU defence procurement plans could exclude Nato states such as the UK, Norway and Turkey that are not members of the bloc and thus weaken existing defence-industrial co-operation projects. Twenty-three of the EU’s 27 member states are part of Nato, but there are divisions within the bloc as to how much of a role the EU — primarily a trade and regulatory bloc — should play in the future defence of the continent.

“Paris [is] pointing out that the bloc needs to be prepared for a weakening of American interest in Europe — a risk heightened by the potential re-election of Donald Trump as US president. ‘Now is therefore the time to build a true European Defence Union. Yes, I know there are some who are perhaps uncomfortable with the idea. But what we should be uncomfortable about are the threats to our security,’… Ursula von der Leyen said. Von der Leyen has created a dedicated defence commissioner in her new team set to take office this year. She picked former Lithuanian prime minister Andrius Kubilius for the role.”

This new “dedicated defense commissioner” might perhaps play an interesting role in the future. Note the next article.

The New EU Defense Commissioner—“A King Without a Kingdom?”

The Economic Times wrote on September 20:

“Facing an aggressive Russia, a long war in Ukraine and an uncertain American commitment to Europe, Ursula von der Leyen, as president of the European Commission, has created a new post of defense commissioner.

“The task before any new commissioner is formidable. The war in Ukraine has pointed up huge shortcomings in Europe’s capacity to defend itself. Its armies are small and sometimes poorly equipped. It has been slow to increase military spending and prioritize the production of artillery shells, ammunition and air defense. It remains deeply dependent on the United States for key military equipment and funds… Christian Mölling, a defense expert and director for Europe for the Bertelsmann Foundation [said:] ‘It’s a king without a kingdom.’

“In a recent comprehensive report on how to revive European growth and competitiveness, Mario Draghi, the former Italian prime minister and governor of the European Central Bank, supported the new commissioner’s job. Europe buys more than 60% of its equipment from the United States, plus another 15% from other non-EU countries. So making European weapons more competitive would be good for European companies and taxpayers, Draghi argued, echoing many others.

“… the question of European military dependency on Washington is no longer just a theoretical question, said Ian Lesser, director of the Brussels office of the German Marshall Fund… ‘It is in the process of shifting from seeing its own defense companies as national champions to thinking of them also as essential building blocks for stronger European defense,’ Lesser said….” 

Western Arms for Ukraine to Be Used in Russia?

TRT World wrote on September 20:

“The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on EU countries to let Ukraine use Western weapons to strike military targets inside Russia, prompting an angry rebuke from Moscow. EU lawmakers approved the resolution on Thursday, which is non-binding and does not reflect the stance of the bloc’s 27 countries, with 425 votes in favour, 131 against and 63 abstentions, during a plenary session in Strasbourg…

“Echoing an earlier warning by President Vladimir Putin, Vyacheslav Volodin, the president of Russia’s lower house Duma, condemned the vote…  ‘What the European Parliament is calling for leads to a world war using nuclear weapons,’ Volodin said, warning that Russian missiles could hit Strasbourg within minutes of launch [He specifically said: ‘The Sarmat missile’s flight time to Strasbourg is three minutes 20 seconds.’] … This month, Putin warned that green-lighting the use of long-range weapons deep inside Russia would put the NATO military alliance ‘at war’ with Moscow. Washington currently authorises Ukraine to only hit Russian targets in occupied parts of Ukraine and some in Russian border regions directly related to Moscow’s combat operations.”

Express added on September 20 that “Strasbourg, France, is often considered the EU’s de facto capital due to the fact it holds many of the bloc’s key institutions including the European Parliament.”

Ultimately, but not quite yet, nuclear war will break out between Europe and Russia.

“Washington’s Ukraine Obsession Is Going to Get Us All Killed!”

On September 23, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column of the Ron Paul Institute:

“Last week the world narrowly escaped likely nuclear destruction, as the Biden Administration considered Ukraine’s request to allow US missiles to strike deeply into Russian territory. Russian president Vladimir Putin warned, as the request was being considered, that because these missiles could not be launched without the active participation of the US military and NATO, Russia would consider itself in a state of war with both NATO and the US should they be launched. It was a Cuban Missile Crisis on a massive scale.

“Thankfully, permission was reportedly not granted by Washington to hit deep inside Russia, but as we have seen throughout this war, a weapons system is often first denied and then eventually granted to Washington’s proxies in Kiev. We should not rest easy even if nuclear war has been temporarily averted. Would missile strikes deep inside Russia win the war for Ukraine? Not even the Pentagon thinks so. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin himself said earlier this month that granting Ukraine permission to launch missiles into Russia would not be a ‘game-changer’ in the two and a half year war. Risking nuclear destruction for no tangible purpose? Have these people gone insane?

“Even the ‘game-changers’ have changed little in this war. How many times has the pro-war mainstream media told us a weapons system would be a ‘game-changer’ for Ukraine? Remember Javelin missiles? Leopard tanks? HIMARS?… each one of them fails to turn the tide in Ukraine’s favor…  The fact is that Russia is winning the war despite hundreds of billions of dollars and the best weapons systems from the US and NATO countries. Each new shipment of increasingly sophisticated weapons does not produce battlefield victories for Ukraine. It only produces more dead Ukrainian soldiers and more profits for the weapons manufacturers.

“Even the mainstream media… has begun to report on Ukraine’s huge losses and hopeless situation. Yet as more and more start to wake up about the disastrous proxy war, Washington only knows one direction when it comes to war: forward. Just over a week ago the Pentagon announced another $250 million arms package for Ukraine. Nobody believes that is going to reverse the steady gains made by Russia on the battlefield, but it will generate more profits for the US arms manufacturers who are the real force behind our hyper-interventionist foreign policy.

“The unlikely duo of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Donald Trump, Jr., said it best in a recent editorial in The Hill: ‘We cannot get any closer to the brink than this. And for what? To “weaken Russia”? To control Ukraine’s minerals? No vital American interest is at stake. To risk nuclear conflict for the sake of the neoconservative fantasy of global “full-spectrum dominance” is madness.’”

Zelensky Attacks Trump

Breitbart wrote on September 23:

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is bashing former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), attacking them in American media outlets…

“The New Yorker has an exhaustive piece on Zelensky penned by Joshua Yaffa, stating that the Ukrainian leader ‘speaks with the urgency of a leader who knows that he may be facing his last best chance for substantial foreign assistance’ as President Biden’s presidential term is coming to an end. The Q&A in the piece is revealing, as Zelensky openly attacks Trump, asserting that he ‘doesn’t really know how to stop the war even if he might think he knows how.’” 

No Digital Dollar in Canada

LifeSiteNews wrote on September 24:

“Plans by the Bank of Canada (BOC) to implement a digital ‘dollar,’ also known as a central bank digital currency (CBDC), have been shelved. Officials from Canada’s central bank said that a digital currency… will no longer be considered after years of investigating bringing one to market…

“Most Canadians do not want a digital dollar… an overwhelming majority of citizens want to ‘leave cash alone’… many people rely on cash to pay for things. The bank concluded that the introduction of a digital currency would only be feasible if consumers demanded its release.  The reversal comes after the BOC had already forged ahead and filed a trademark for a digital currency…

“Digital currencies have been touted as the future by some government officials, but… many experts warn that such technology would ultimately restrict freedom and be used as a ‘control tool’ against citizens similar to China’s pervasive social credit system.”

More Censorship in Canada

Rebel News wrote on September 19:

“Grave news for freedom of the press: the Federal Court of Canada just upheld an atrocious ruling by Justin Trudeau’s hand-picked censorship committee, denying Rebel News a Qualified Canadian Journalism Organization (QCJO) news licence. In free countries, readers get to decide which journalists to trust. But in Trudeau’s Canada, that’s now a government decision, and Trudeau hand-picks the censorship panel making the decision…

“Rebel News publishes thousands of news stories every year. And the busiest time in our history was during the trucker convoy, back in February, 2022. We were publishing up to twenty stories a day, almost all of it from the ground — in Ottawa, Windsor, Coutts and other protest places. We were the window on the trucker convoy for the whole world. That month, we actually had more viewers than the CBC state broadcaster gets on an average month. But here’s how Trudeau’s censorship committee described that three-week period of time: ‘only 2% of the items during the aforementioned period constituted original news content.’… the judge accepted that bizarre claim and used it as a reason to deny us a QCJO licence…

“Trudeau has spent millions of dollars censoring us, including creating this well-paid censorship panel, clearly built with us in mind… What’s extra-gross is the silence from mainstream media journalists. Most Canadian journalists have been bought off by Trudeau. If they work for the CBC, (and more than 50% of Canadian journalists do) they get 100% of their pay from Trudeau. And even if they work for the ‘private’ news media, they get, on average, a $30,000 subsidy from Trudeau. That’s why they’re silent today. And that’s another reason why they hate Rebel News: because we don’t take any cash from the government, and they’re ashamed that they do.

“Under Bill C-11, which is now law, Trudeau has the power to order companies like YouTube and Facebook to either ‘boost’ or ‘throttle’ Canadian content. It would be too conspicuous for Trudeau to order them to ban Rebel News. But all he has to do is to order them to ban journalism that doesn’t have the QCJO licence. That way he can say he wasn’t targeting Rebel News, and that the tech companies did it, not him.”

Canada’s descent into dictatorship under left-wing radical Trudeau is undeniable.

Ireland Drops Portions of Hate Speech Bill… For Now

Fox News wrote on September 21:

“The Irish government is dropping parts of its controversial hate speech laws which have been criticized by free speech advocates around the world, including X owner Elon Musk who vowed to fight the legislation in court… The measure would have allowed for the jailing of citizens for merely possessing material that criticizes certain protected characteristics, ranging from gender identity to national origin. Some critics have compared it to the concept of punishing people for ‘thoughtcrime,’ a term popularized by George Orwell’s dystopian novel ‘1984.’…

“The legislation, the Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences bill, has already passed through the Dáil, Ireland’s lower chamber, but it had stalled in the Senate, the upper chamber. [Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee] says… that legislation aimed at bringing forward tougher sentences for physical hate crimes under the bill will proceed… ‘I am adamant that hate crime legislation will be enacted,’ she said… The hate speech bill had faced mounting criticism even from government backbenches and some of those in opposition. Ireland’s main opposition party Sinn Féin voted in favor of the bill but later called for it to be scrapped.”

It’s all politics. And the push to enact freedom-denying hate speech laws will continue in Ireland, and all over the world.

Socialist Spain to Restrict Freedom of Speech?

The European Conservative wrote on September 18:

“Spain’s socialist government has unveiled radical plans to regulate the press to combat so-called ‘disinformation.’ Critics have branded the move as ‘censorship’ and an attempt by prime minister Pedro Sánchez to distract attention from an ongoing scandal involving his wife.

“The Democratic Action Plan will create a register of media outlets operating in Spain… [which] will allow the government to dictate who media outlets’ shareholders can be, their sources of financing, and how much government institutions will spend on advertising with them. Any media outlet not on the register will likely be branded ‘pseudo-media,’ a term used by the socialist government and its supporters to discredit any new outlets that deviate from the establishment line.

“In a parliamentary debate on Wednesday, the leader of the opposition centre-right Partido Popular, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, accused Sánchez of having a ‘banana-republic conception of power.’ He accused the prime minister of Censorship and persecution of anyone who dares to criticise you. We haven’t seen anything like this since Franco.’

“The plan was proposed amid an investigation into Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, who is accused of influence-peddling and corruption. The PM has blamed what he calls ‘far-right’ online media for pursuing the case. The campaign by Sánchez against supposed ‘misinformation’ has intensified since he was called—and refused—to testify before judge Juan Carlos Peinado, making him the first sitting Spanish prime minister ever to refuse such cooperation. He later announced he would sue Peinado for alleged malfeasance. A government spokesperson accused the judge of acting ‘for political motives and outside the law.’”

And so, it seems Sanchez wants to control the media to protect his wife…

The Fight Over Gibraltar

Express wrote on September 20:

“Spain has issued a dire warning to the UK, with a deal on the status of Gibraltar post Brexit yet to be agreed, despite months of negotiations… there is still no resolution to thorny border issues affecting the UK Overseas Territory. Spain repeated its warning that if the stalemate continues, it will carry out border checks on the Rock within two months…

“On November 10, the EU will introduce Entry-Exit System (EES) at all borders, effectively resulting in a hard-border between the Rock and its neighbour Spain, with fears that it could spark chaos… An open border is of huge importance for the 15,000 people who cross into Spain every day for work as well as the territory’s economy.”

The battle for Gibraltar between Spain and the UK will intensify.

Tattoos in the Catholic Church

Die Welt wrote on September 20:

“During an unusual event, the Catholic Church wants to talk to people. Brave people can get a tattoo in St. John’s Church – only Christian motifs are possible. First pray and sing together, then get a tattoo: With an unusual campaign, the Diocese of Osnabrück wants to make people curious about faith and the Catholic Church.

“Today… a tattoo service will be celebrated for the first time in Osnabrück’s St. John’s Church. The needles should buzz to the sounds of the organ. Anyone who has registered in advance can have a Christian symbol tattooed on their forearm or calf for free… Spontaneous tattoo sessions may also be possible for those who decide at short notice…

“According to the diocese, one in five people in Germany is tattooed… The priest who will lead the service is already tattooed. He is a prison chaplain for the Diocese of Osnabrück…”

Tattoos are sinful. Please read our Q&A in this regard, titled, “Does the Bible teach anything about the use of tattoos?“  

If Hitler Had Conquered Britain…

The Sun wrote on September 20:

“A CHILLING map reveals how Britain would have looked if Adolf Hitler had won World War Two – with a new capital far from London and a holiday home for the dictator. Bombshell dossiers for Operation Sea Lion – Nazi Germany’s ambitious plan for a full-scale invasion of Britain – detail how the Third Reich planned an attack on the English coast in a bid to take over Europe.

“Nazi planners identified five sectors of the English coast to attack – from Ramsgate in Kent to Selsey Bill in West Sussex. They planned to land some 100,000 troops, 650 tanks and 4,500 horses in the first wave of the attack on September 21, 1940 on the southeast coast from the French ports of Le Havre, Cherbourg, Boulogne and Ostend. Once a bridgehead had been established, a further 500,000 soldiers would have landed. They would have begun mass territorial attacks between Ramsgate and Deal, Folkestone and Dungeness, Dungeness and Rye, Bexhill-on-Sea and Beachy Head and Brighton to Selsey Bill…

“Hitler already had managed to pull off some of the greatest military campaigns that summer, capturing France and the Low Countries in Europe… German officials were convinced that an onslaught would have led to the ‘rapid abandonment’ of the British defences south of London within just two weeks – before capturing the length and breadth of the nation…

“Under German plans, Oxford – Hitler’s preferred seat of power for the Reich – was to be the new capital of Britain. The city’s historic centres were left untouched by the Germans during the devastating air raids of the Battle of Britain – believed to be part of Hitler’s plan. Plans were also to carve out the nation to form six new districts – and each of them would have had to central military control centre as big as the size of a city. Headquarters were to be set up at Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle, London, Dublin and Glasgow. Historians also believe that Ireland would have been united under the Nazis.

“Meanwhile, the famous Blenheim Palace near Oxford would have turned into Hitler’s secret holiday home in Nazi Britain. Blenheim Palace is the birthplace and ancestral home of Winston Churchill – the man who led Britain against Hitler during World War Two… Documents detailing Operation Sea Lion reveal how German researchers were employed to find out details of local road systems, geography, units of measurement, money and even translations of some Welsh words, all to be used by invading forces when they landed. The documents were found in the German naval archives after the Allies captured Berlin to end the war.

“Hitler believed that Operation Sea Lion would have led to the rapid conclusion of the war, winning over Europe and establishing his absolute dictatorship…”

The Austrian/German Adolf Hitler failed in conquering Britain, while the next German and/or Austrian leader—the beast—will succeed.

Hitler’s Death… Or Was It?

In an accompanying article, the Sun wrote on September 20:

“On April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler…  decided to take his own life in the Führerbunker in Berlin after it became clear that Germany would lose the Battle of Berlin. But in the months and years following his death, however, conspiracy theories circulated over whether or not he actually died – and if he escaped instead. It all began with the Soviet Union’s decision to seed two contradictory narratives in 1945: that Hitler died by taking cyanide or that he had survived and fled to another country.

Joseph Stalin himself even outright denied Hitler was dead when asked by US President Harry Truman.

“It is known some Nazis used hidden escape routes called ‘ratlines’ to flee from Germany as the Third Reich collapsed, with some finding shelter in South America… Declassified documents… showed how the UK and US hunted for Hitler for ten years after the end of World War 2 as they feared he was still alive. Secret documents reveal investigations into claims Hitler had a body double, U-boat sightings in Argentina, and claims that Adolf was photographed alive in Colombia.

“One document reported to the FBI in 1947 even described a town called ‘Casino’ near Rio Grande in Brazil which appeared to be ‘entirely populated’ by Germans. FBI agents interviewed an informant, who claimed to be a former French resistance fighter, who said he saw Hitler and Eva Braun sitting at a resort in the town. Many notorious Nazis did manage to escape to South America, but it is accepted by history that Hitler and Eva Braun were not among them.”

Even if Hitler survived, he would be dead by now. But the end-time “beast”— following Hitler’s footsteps, but turning out to be much worse than Hitler—is very much alive today.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

Update 1130

Comments on News and Prophecy, September 28, 2024 / The Cure for the Hardened Heart!

On September 28, 2024, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy, September 28, 2024,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “The Cure for the Hardened Heart!”

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.

NOTE: Next Thursday, October 3, is the Feast of Trumpets. The sermonette will be given by Kalon Mitchell, and the sermon will be given by Norbert Link.

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Problems Don’t Just Happen in a Vacuum

by Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

The fall of the United Kingdom continues apace.   Apart from a loss of standing on the world scene and internal problems in the country wherever you look, we now have two-tier policing. britannica.com has this to say about the police: “a body of officers representing the civil authority of government. Police typically are responsible for maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law, and preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities. These functions are known as policing.”

The riots in various cities in the UK during the early part of August this year brought out misleading statements by the Prime Minister about it being brought about by right-wing thugs, thus missing the real point which many who were not involved actually have sympathy with.   In his Standing Watch programme at that time, Mr Norbert Link spoke about “Why Riots in the UK” and gave a very sensible and reasoned view of why these events took place.

We don’t get involved in politics, we don’t vote and we don’t take sides for or against any particular group or party but comment on what the effects of any action are that is taken as compared with what God has set out in His Word as to how man should behave.

Unfortunately, the police have been very selective about their policing, no doubt taking a lead from the government.  As we have a new government in power who are trying to show how tough they are going to be on law and order, certain actions have recently been taken which have been breath-taking.   Those who have been caught in violent actions have finished up in court, convicted with prison sentences in many cases in just a matter of days showing that this is conduct that will not be tolerated.

The problem is that it is a two-tier system.   Those who have protested in other ways are ignored.  For example, pro-Hamas demonstrators are allowed to spit out their vile hatred of Israel and the police haven’t taken any action at all.   Thugs who fought with police have not had their cases heard yet when they were caught on camera with their actions clear to see.

Not that long ago, the organisation, Black Lives Matter, was able to march and spew out their anarchic approach and, again, this was all allowed without the police taking any action at all.   

The Telegraph wrote in early August 2024 that “if [Prime Minister] Sir Keir Starmer wants to know why Britain’s worst riots in more than a decade have happened on his watch, he need only pay a visit to Lord Sewell, the man who wrote a landmark report on racial and ethnic disparities in 2021.  

“Tony Sewell as he was then, ruffled feathers – particularly on the Left – by concluding that deprivation, rather than ethnicity, was the biggest driver of inequality, and that poor white people in ‘left behind’ towns made up the largest group of disadvantaged people in the country.

“Three years on, his report seems uncannily prescient, and Lord Sewell (who is black) believes that unless Sir Keir confronts the underlying issues that have driven so many people onto the streets in recent days, the appalling scenes that have shamed the country will only be repeated.

“’Taking the knee, him [Keir Starmer] and Angela Rayner [then deputy leader of the Labour Party and now Deputy Prime Minister]- disaster!’ he says. ‘Both of them were just taking their lead from the US.’”

These problems don’t just happen in a vacuum; there are always reasons why and a background that has to be addressed in an even-handed and fair way.

Many still remember the problems that the UK had when rioters damaged statues of famous people and got away with lawless behaviour.  Yes, it was a different government then but the police still had a job to do and failed to do it.   Two-tier policing.

There comes a time when even the mild mannered and suffering masses will eventually say that enough is enough if matters are not dealt with in a fair and unbiased fashion; the majority of the population will accept that but when it comes to a blatantly biased approach, trouble will not be far away.

In our booklet The Fall and Rise of Britain and America we list many sins that will bring about the fall of these nations in chapter 3 which is headed – “Impending Downfall of Great Britain, the United States and Other English-Speaking Nations”.  Add to these, the possibility of civil unrest, and for those with eyes to see, a bleak future awaits our nations.

The Church of God has been given the commission to proclaim the Ezekiel warning message that we read about in chapter 3:17 which states: “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.”

And that is what we are doing today!

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by Norbert Link

We begin with the escalation in the Middle East, caused by Iran and its proxies, and the shameful—but typical—hypocritical anti-Israel conduct of the UN and many Western nations, including France and Germany.

We discuss the dicey situation in Germany in light of the country’s most recent state election in Brandenburg; address new developments regarding the EU and NATO; and speak about the dangerous developments pertaining to the EU, Russia and Ukraine.

In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, “Nuclear War With Russia?”

We speak on censorship of free speech; the conflict between Spain and the UK over Gibraltar; and the braindead idea to woo Catholics by offering them free tattoos.

We conclude with two interesting articles about Hitler’s plans to conquer Great Britain and the age-old question whether Hitler really died at the end of World War Two.

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Israel-Lebanon War Escalates

The Sun wrote on September 20:

“A wanted Hezbollah terror chief has been killed in a deadly Israeli airstrike on Beirut.

“The devastating strike came just moments after the militant group launched 140 of their own rockets at northern Israel – with one even blasting a playground… The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed top brass Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, from their Radwan Force, was eliminated in today’s strike…  The Hezbollah chief was seen as the second in command of the Iran backed militia. [The US had offered a $7 million bounty for him.] Some 10 other senior chiefs from the terror group were killed alongside Aqil, Israel said.

“The Israeli air attack came just before Hezbollah launched their own menacing attack across the border. Three separate Hezbollah barrages, made up of Katyusha rockets, were recorded today with the first being made up of over 60 missiles. Minutes later the biggest collection of rockets was let off from Lebanon with 70 being reported by the IDF. Another 20 were then reportedly launched at the Mount Meron region in Israel.

“Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has also declared the start of a ‘new phase’ of war as the country’s army moved north in recent weeks. The announcement paves the way for the first full-scale invasion of southern Lebanon since 2006 in a drive to push back the terror group and allow Israelis to return home.”

Of course, the world condemns Israel, while few condemn with the same vigor the terrorist activities of Hezbollah.

Newsmax wrote on September 22:

“Hezbollah and Israel exchanged heavy fire into Sunday, as the Lebanese militant group sent rockets deep into northern Israeli territory after facing some of the most intense bombardment in almost a year of conflict… Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said operations would continue until it was safe for evacuated people on his side of the border to return – also setting the stage for a long conflict as Hezbollah has vowed to fight on until a ceasefire in the parallel Gaza war…

“Israel wants Hezbollah to cease fire and withdraw forces from the border region, adhering to a U.N. resolution signed with Israel in 2006, irrespective of any Gaza deal. Tens of thousands of people have left their homes on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border since Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel in October in sympathy with Palestinians in Gaza.”

Hezbollah Strikes Tel Aviv

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 25:

“Hezbollah said it targeted a Mossad base after one of the group’s leaders was killed in a strike on Beirut. Israel intercepted the missile and said it was the first time Hezbollah had targeted Tel Aviv

“The Israeli military said the move represented ‘an escalation.’ It all comes after senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Kobeisi, who headed the group’s missile and rocket force, was killed in Beirut on Tuesday.”

UN the Diplomatic Arm of Hamas?

Israel Today wrote on September 20:

“Jerusalem’s Old City, in addition to Judea and Samaria, must be Judenrein within a year, according to a Palestinian-drafted resolution, which the UN General Assembly passed on Wednesday. The resolution, which passed by a 124-14 margin with 43 abstentions, is meant to give force to a July advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which declared Israeli presence to be illegal in any area over the 1949 armistice line. More than 40 countries sponsored the resolution, which was the first that Palestinians filed after being granted unprecedented privileges, for a non-UN member, earlier this year.

“The resolution calls on the Israel Defense Forces to withdraw completely from Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip within 12 months, which means evacuating all Jewish communities beyond the armistice line, including Jerusalem’s Old City. It also bans arms sales to the IDF of any equipment that would be expected reasonably to be used in the territory over the 1949 lines and calls for a boycott of all products produced by Jews in those areas…

“General Assembly resolutions have no legal force, but the resolution’s passage on Wednesday is expected to be used in international courts and other fora to seek additional action against the Jewish state…

“Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called it ‘a shameful decision that backs the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic terrorism.’ He added that the General Assembly ‘continues to dance to the music of the Palestinian Authority, which backs the Hamas murderers.’…

“Arsen Ostrovsky and Nadav Steinman, CEO and board chair, respectively, of the International Legal Forum, stated that ‘today, simply put, the United Nations has become the diplomatic arm of Hamas’... ‘All it does is reward the murderers, rapists and abductors of Hamas while pouring further fuel on worldwide antisemitism and eroding whatever remaining credibility of the already problematic and politicized International Court of Justice, upon which this resolution is meant to be based,’ they added…”

The Israeli anger directed at the duplicity and hypocrisy of the UN is totally understandable.

Iran’s Grand Ambition

The Algemeiner wrote on September 19:

“Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon lambasted Iran for being a puppet master ‘pulling the strings’ of terrorist groups across the Middle East, describing them as ‘Iran’s attack dogs’ while addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday. Danon stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran, which he described as ‘the most oppressive regime in the world,’ wants ‘dominance, not diplomacy.’ ‘The country’s ‘grand ambition’ is the ‘creation of a Shiite supremacist empire that stretches across the entire Middle East and beyond,’ he insisted…

“‘The dark force driving the violence we see today is not a collection of independent groups. It is Iran pulling the strings. The Iran proxies — Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis in Yemen, Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and terrorist cells in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] — are all Iran’s attack dogs unleashed to spread death and destruction across the region.’ Danon also described the different terror cells as the ‘claws of a beast’ that is Iran.

“The ambassador then shifted his attention to the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of ‘standing by, utterly weak and impotent,’ by turning a blind eye to Iran’s terrorist actions or ‘actively collaborating with these terror networks.’ He once again criticized the PA’s leadership, including President Mahmoud Abbas, for refusing to condemn Hamas since the terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel.”

Danon stated the obvious, but most members of the Security Council [and many countries in the world] are willfully closing their eyes and ears so that they cannot see and hear.

France vs. Israel

Israel Today wrote on September 22:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron held a difficult conversation last week over the escalating situation in Lebanon, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Friday. According to the report, Macron, who initiated the call, hurled harsh accusations at the Israeli premier for leading Israel and Lebanon to the brink of a full-scale war. ‘The responsibility to prevent escalation is yours. You can opt for a diplomatic solution. This is the moment to show leadership and responsibility. Your activity in the north is pushing the region to war,’ Macron was quoted in the report as saying.

“Netanyahu replied: ‘Instead of putting the pressure on us, it’s about time you pressured Hezbollah. We will bring our residents back home [in the north]. This is the decision we made this week and we will act on it.’ On Thursday, France voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution proposed by the Palestinian Authority to impose sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel.”

Macron wants to be a leader of Europe, but he has been failing miserably. Now, he is venting his anger on Israel. But Germany’s Olaf Scholz and his staff are not any better. Note the next article.

Germany’s Failing  Policy

Focus wrote on September 20:

“The UN General Assembly calls by a large majority on Israel to vacate the occupied Palestinian territories. Germany abstains from the resolution…  FOCUS online chief correspondent Ulrich Reitz [wrote:] ‘Ultimately it turns out that the Israel strategy of Annalena Baerbock and the Foreign Office is simply embarrassing for Germany. The UN, under the leadership of Secretary General Antonio Guterres, is no longer an organization that can be unreservedly claimed to be on the side of law and international order…

“‘Already after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Germany abstained from a resolution. Then as now, the justification was that we wanted to keep channels of communication open to all sides.’ However, this is not an argument for Reitz. ‘If the channels of discussion are open to all sides, then one simply has to say that this German foreign policy has led to nothing. You have to attest to a complete lack of influence here.’… Baerbock’s numerous visits to the Middle East had no effect… no one was listening…

“Reitz finds the Foreign Office’s call for de-escalation from both sides to be misplaced. There can be no equality between the Israeli government and a terrorist organization… ‘We are dealing with a democratically legitimized government on the one hand… and a bunch of terrorists on the other. Those in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have decided to drive Israel into the sea and eradicate the Jewish state.”

Germany’s stance may not be only one of incompetence. Germany’s lip services for supporting Israel have long been more than dubious.

Too Political!

The Algemeiner wrote on September 20:

“Eden Golan, Israel’s representative in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, will perform her original song ‘October Rain’ at the United Nations to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel…

“The lyrics of ‘October Rain’ reference the Oct. 7 massacre…  Golan had originally planned to perform ‘October Rain’ at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, but the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the contest, rejected the song, deeming it too political. Golan instead competed in the Eurovision with a reworded version of the song that was retitled ‘Hurricane.’

“Golan finished in fifth place in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest… after being booed on stage by anti-Israel protesters, experiencing death threats, and having one of the competition’s jury members refuse to give her points because of his personal opposition to Israel…”

European antisemitism, from the top down, is shameful, shocking and VERY dangerous. But it IS prophesied.

Milei, Erdogan and Pezeshkian Speak at UN

Breitbart wrote on September 24:

Argentine President Javier Milei used his debut speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to deliver an enthusiastic condemnation of ‘globalism and the moral posturing of the woke agenda’ and warn that the U.N. flagship Agenda 2030 is a threat to global freedom… Milei launched into a searing condemnation of the recent United Nations record, condemning its support of Wuhan coronavirus lockdowns and its support of totalitarian regimes…

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spent over half of his very lengthy address to the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday criticizing Israel for its war against the terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah. Erdogan accused the Israelis of genocide, compared them to Nazi Germany, and demanded the U.N. authorize ‘coercive measures against Israel’ to halt the war in Gaza…. Erdogan extensively regurgitated Hamas propaganda about the war in Gaza, absurdly insisting that almost all of the casualties were ‘women and children’ deliberately targeted by Israel in a campaign of genocide… ‘Just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by an alliance of humanity,’ he declared…

“Nowhere in Erdogan’s speech was there even the slightest mention of why Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza, and now Hezbollah in Lebanon… At the end of his long speech, Erdogan… launched a spirited attack against the LGBTQIAP2S+ movement, describing it as a threat to ‘the institution of the family,’ which is a ‘pillar of society.’… Erdogan said the homosexual agenda has become ‘a war against the sacred and human nature,’ a ‘multidimensional, comprehensive, and ruthless project of destruction.’”…

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used his address to the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday to attack Israel on behalf of Iran’s terrorist clients in Hama… Pezeshkian criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump for withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal… without mentioning the Iranian cheating that prompted Trump to withdraw… The Iranian leader pitched his closing remarks as a direct statement to the American people, implicitly either pleading with them, or threatening them, not to send Trump back to the White House.”

There are reports that Iran has been, and probably continues to be, trying to assassinate Trump.

Biden’s Embarrassing Farewell Address

The New York Post wrote on September 24:

“Biden has not yet come to grips with reality. He dishonestly suggests he voluntarily passed the party’s torch to his vice president, declaring that ‘Some things are more important than staying in power.’ …

“Indeed, the widespread belief that we are now closer than ever to World War III captures the truth of Biden’s disastrous term. Rarely if ever have things gotten so bad so fast. ..

“Vladimir Putin saw the sudden withdrawal as proof that America was in retreat and decided the time was ripe for an invasion of Ukraine… Iran smelled the weakness and unleashed the hell of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis on Israel. Yet, repeating the mistakes of Barack Obama, Biden continues to reward Iran with sanctions relief and punishes Israel by withholding arms and isolating it on the world stage… Then there’s China, which had to be giddy when Biden made excuses after one of its spy balloons flew openly across America’s heartland.”

Fox wrote on September 25:

“President Biden’s swan song on the world stage…  was a sad demonstration of American weakness… He repeated the mantra that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon, despite the fact that even the UN’s Atomic Energy Agency and everybody listening, knows that under his watch Iran has already become a threshold nuclear power….

“President Biden… lost his moral compass entirely… Antisemitism that is promoted and incited by the United Nations and those in his General Assembly audience. Antisemitism that is now doing enormous damage to a tolerant and peaceful America. Antisemitism that fuels the Iranian threat to world peace. .. Biden’s final speech was an opportunity to be honest and chastise the United Nations itself as an impediment to tolerance, equality and world peace.  He squandered it.”

Newsmax added on September 24:

“Biden addressed the U.N. General Assembly for the final time and urged an end to the Middle East conflict between Israel and Iran’s proxy groups while at the same time praising the military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Trump’s campaign’s statement noted that the world has already witnessed the ‘devastation wrought by four years of Harris-Biden, and nothing can mask it.’

“Biden told the assembly that the world ‘is stronger than we think’ and noted his accomplishment of ‘ending’ of the war in Afghanistan. The Trump campaign took issue with Biden’s claim and called it ‘among the biggest foreign policy debacles in modern history’ adding it ‘resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and gave the Taliban safe haven for their reign of terror. Kamala [Harris], who has never said the names of the fallen heroes out loud, bragged about being the ‘last person in the room’ for the decisions that led to the withdrawal.” 

The Future of Olaf Scholz

Express published the following article on September 20, BEFORE the anxiously awaited state election in the eastern German state of Brandenburg:

“Voters go to the polls in the east German state of Brandenburg on Sunday, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces the prospect of being replaced by his own party if it goes as badly as the most recent regional elections. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) will be hoping to claim victory in the rural state, just as they did in Thuringia at the start of September.

“In that election, Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) managed a meagre 6.1 percent of the vote, as the AfD blew apart the federal governing coalition with almost an 33 percent vote share. On the same day, the neighbouring state of Saxony held their election, in which the SPD once again performed miserably. The party won just 7.3 percent of the vote as they were annihilated by the Christian Democrats (CDU) on 31.9 percent, the AfD on 30.6 percent and the recently formed ‘left conservative’ Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) on 11.8 percent.

“Analysts believe another drubbing could see the Chancellor replaced by the far more popular defense minister Boris Pistorius, echoing how the Democrats dispensed with Joe Biden when he proved to be an electoral liability. The German federal elections are being held in a year’s time and as it stands the SPD under Scholz are tanking in the polls. According to Politico’s Poll of Polls, the SPD are on just 14 percent nationally, five points behind the AfD and 18 points behind the CDU – Angela Merkel’s old party – on 32 percent.”

As it turned out, Scholz’ SPD did not perform as poorly as feared. Note the next article.

SPD Wins Narrowly Over AfD

Thomson/Reuters wrote on September 22:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) [did] fend off the far-right in a state election in Brandenburg on Sunday after trailing behind the Alternative for Germany (AfD) throughout the campaign…  The SPD, which has governed the state surrounding the capital Berlin since reunification in 1990, scored [30.9 %] of the vote, ahead of the far-right Alternative for Germany on 29.2%, in a last-minute comeback…

“The success for the SPD could give Scholz a slight reprieve from party discussions about his suitability to be once more its chancellor candidate for the federal election scheduled for next September given his unpopularity with voters. It is unlikely, however, to give him or his party a major boost given the popular, incumbent SPD premier Dietmar Woidke had distanced himself from Scholz during the campaign and criticized the federal government’s policies…

“Three-quarters of those who voted for the SPD did not do so out of conviction but rather to fend off the AfD…  The SPD is polling just 15% at national level, down from the 25.7% it scored in the 2021 federal election. That is behind the AfD on around 20% and opposition conservatives on 32%.

“All three parties in Scholz’s ideologically heterogeneous coalition combined are currently polling at around 30%, less than the conservatives [CDU] alone. The coalition has come under fire for its constant bickering and for its handling of immigration. In the formerly Communist-run East, many voters are also critical of its delivery of weapons to Ukraine to help it fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion…

“Woidke warned against complacency, noting the AfD was still gaining momentum. The ZDF poll suggested it had gained 5.7 percentage points since the last Brandenburg election in 2019. AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla noted the AfD had made strong gains among young voters

“The new leftist Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht [came] in third place, on [13.5%], ahead of the conservatives [CDU] on [12.1%], underscoring the ongoing upheavals in Germany’s political landscape making predictions tricky.”

The other two coalition parties in the German government, the Green and the FDP, did not even reach the 5% threshold and did not make it into state parliament. The CDU did not do well in the Brandenburg election. The one who did best, overall in all three states, was the AfD.

It is difficult to see that Scholz (SPD) would be reelected next year. The CDU announced that Friedrich Merz would be their candidate for chancellorship—another highly controversial political figure who is accused of being out of touch with ordinary Germans while representing the interests of corporate elites over the people. Germany seems to stumble from one problem to the next.

Turbulent Times Ahead

Report 24 wrote on September 23:

“In Brandenburg, the SPD under Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke achieved a narrow victory in the 2024 state elections. With a razor-thin lead over the AfD, the SPD was able to maintain its position as the strongest force in the state, but the circumstances of this victory highlight the profound changes and challenges in the East German political landscape… The CDU… recorded the worst result in the East. In addition, the AfD also receives a blocking minority in Brandenburg.

“A decisive factor in the SPD victory was Prime Minister Woidke’s unusual tactics. In a dramatic appeal (which some people also viewed as blackmail), he threatened to resign if his party did not emerge as the strongest force in the election. This strategy proved successful in mobilizing voters from other parties willing to change, especially those who wanted to prevent the AfD from winning…

“While the AfD became the strongest force in all age groups under 60, the SPD owes its victory primarily to seniors. In the group of people over 60, the SPD was able to maintain a clear lead over the AfD, which ultimately made the difference. This trend shows a growing dissatisfaction among young people with the established parties and their turn to populist alternatives…

“The election also revealed the dwindling importance of some parties in eastern Germany. The Greens and FDP, which are still part of the government coalition at the federal level, hardly play a role in Brandenburg and the other eastern federal states. Both parties failed at the five percent hurdle and will therefore not be represented in the state parliament…

“The effects of the Brandenburg election extend far beyond the state’s borders. FDP Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki has already speculated about a possible early end to the traffic light coalition at the federal level. He expressed doubts that the government in Berlin would remain in office until Christmas. These statements underline the nervousness in the ranks of the governing parties in view of the election results in Brandenburg. Another notable aspect of the election was the loss of Prime Minister Woidke’s direct mandate. He lost to the AfD candidate in his constituency with a difference of just seven votes. This result symbolizes the fragility of the political situation and the growing strength of the AfD, including at the local level…

“The SPD’s narrow victory may promise short-term stability, but the underlying trends – particularly the AfD’s strength among younger voters and the weakness of the center parties – point to turbulent times in East German and possibly all-German politics.

Poor Choices

Report 24 wrote the following on September 23:

“The AfD’s success in the state elections in Brandenburg is remarkable, but democracy in the ‘best Germany of all time’ is in bad shape. The pluralistic system, in which people had a variety of political parties with different programs and priorities to choose from, was buried. Today, citizens can only choose between the united front of the cartel parties and the AfD. And as long as the new anti-German unity party can still scrape together enough votes, all votes for the opposition will be summarily declared invalid…

“In a democracy, it is unreasonable to effectively declare a third of the votes invalid by eliminating any hint of political participation by the elected party. The fairytale of the ‘right-wing extremist’ party, which should be prevented, is only spread on political grounds: This accusation from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is merely a ‘matter of interpretation by a non-independent authority with political officials who are bound by instructions’ (quote from the NZZ). How credible is a salesperson who tries to convince you that every product except his own is dangerous and harmful? Should this seller be put in the position of excluding all competition from the market?…”

German Governmental Green Pary in Disarray

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 25:

“Green party national co-chairman Omid Nouripour told reporters early on Wednesday that he and co-chair Ricarda Lang would be resigning their posts. ‘We came to the conclusion that a new start is needed,’ Nouripour said in Berlin. New leadership should be chosen at the party conference in November, he said. 

“The Greens have endured three disastrous state elections in eastern Germany this month. Most recently,  on Sunday in Brandenburg, they missed the 5% hurdle required to guarantee representation in parliament. ‘Sunday’s election result in Brandenburg is evidence of the most serious crisis in our party in a decade,’ Nouripour said. 

“In Germany’s political system, party leaders or chairpersons at the federal level are not necessarily also the party candidates for chancellor. This is also the case for the Greens. Currently, Economy Minister Robert Habeck is considered most likely to stand as the party’s chancellor candidate in next year’s federal elections, given that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said she does not want the position for a second consecutive election.”

“German Car Manufacturers Should Become American”

Focus wrote on September 25:

“Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would like to boost car manufacturing in the USA if he wins the election. Trump spoke about this on Tuesday at a campaign appearance in Georgia – and already has a clear idea of ​​how it works.

“He explained that he wanted to encourage German and other companies to move to the USA: ‘I want German car manufacturers to become American car manufacturers.’ VW, BMW and Mercedes, for example, should increase their locations in the USA.

“Trump also wants to attract companies with special economic benefits. These are intended to offer the ‘lowest taxes, lowest energy costs, lowest regulatory burden and free access to the best and largest market in the world’. All of this assuming they produce in the USA and employ Americans. Otherwise, Trump threatens high import tariffs.”

EU vs. NATO

The Financial Times wrote on or about September 20:

“The EU’s defence efforts were already diverting resources from existing Nato structures, senior alliance officials told the Financial Times. ‘If Europe is under attack, people need to know immediately who is in charge of responding to that,’ said one of the alliance officials… Competing structures create uncertainty . . . that only helps the enemy.’

“In particular, Nato is concerned by the proposed expansion of the EU Military Staff, a structure that oversees the bloc’s military missions. Officials said the plan could complicate critical chains of command in the event of conflict, and is diverting manpower from Nato’s own understaffed command structure at a time when generals are in short supply.

“Officials also warned that EU defence procurement plans could exclude Nato states such as the UK, Norway and Turkey that are not members of the bloc and thus weaken existing defence-industrial co-operation projects. Twenty-three of the EU’s 27 member states are part of Nato, but there are divisions within the bloc as to how much of a role the EU — primarily a trade and regulatory bloc — should play in the future defence of the continent.

“Paris [is] pointing out that the bloc needs to be prepared for a weakening of American interest in Europe — a risk heightened by the potential re-election of Donald Trump as US president. ‘Now is therefore the time to build a true European Defence Union. Yes, I know there are some who are perhaps uncomfortable with the idea. But what we should be uncomfortable about are the threats to our security,’… Ursula von der Leyen said. Von der Leyen has created a dedicated defence commissioner in her new team set to take office this year. She picked former Lithuanian prime minister Andrius Kubilius for the role.”

This new “dedicated defense commissioner” might perhaps play an interesting role in the future. Note the next article.

The New EU Defense Commissioner—“A King Without a Kingdom?”

The Economic Times wrote on September 20:

“Facing an aggressive Russia, a long war in Ukraine and an uncertain American commitment to Europe, Ursula von der Leyen, as president of the European Commission, has created a new post of defense commissioner.

“The task before any new commissioner is formidable. The war in Ukraine has pointed up huge shortcomings in Europe’s capacity to defend itself. Its armies are small and sometimes poorly equipped. It has been slow to increase military spending and prioritize the production of artillery shells, ammunition and air defense. It remains deeply dependent on the United States for key military equipment and funds… Christian Mölling, a defense expert and director for Europe for the Bertelsmann Foundation [said:] ‘It’s a king without a kingdom.’

“In a recent comprehensive report on how to revive European growth and competitiveness, Mario Draghi, the former Italian prime minister and governor of the European Central Bank, supported the new commissioner’s job. Europe buys more than 60% of its equipment from the United States, plus another 15% from other non-EU countries. So making European weapons more competitive would be good for European companies and taxpayers, Draghi argued, echoing many others.

“… the question of European military dependency on Washington is no longer just a theoretical question, said Ian Lesser, director of the Brussels office of the German Marshall Fund… ‘It is in the process of shifting from seeing its own defense companies as national champions to thinking of them also as essential building blocks for stronger European defense,’ Lesser said….” 

Western Arms for Ukraine to Be Used in Russia?

TRT World wrote on September 20:

“The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on EU countries to let Ukraine use Western weapons to strike military targets inside Russia, prompting an angry rebuke from Moscow. EU lawmakers approved the resolution on Thursday, which is non-binding and does not reflect the stance of the bloc’s 27 countries, with 425 votes in favour, 131 against and 63 abstentions, during a plenary session in Strasbourg…

“Echoing an earlier warning by President Vladimir Putin, Vyacheslav Volodin, the president of Russia’s lower house Duma, condemned the vote…  ‘What the European Parliament is calling for leads to a world war using nuclear weapons,’ Volodin said, warning that Russian missiles could hit Strasbourg within minutes of launch [He specifically said: ‘The Sarmat missile’s flight time to Strasbourg is three minutes 20 seconds.’] … This month, Putin warned that green-lighting the use of long-range weapons deep inside Russia would put the NATO military alliance ‘at war’ with Moscow. Washington currently authorises Ukraine to only hit Russian targets in occupied parts of Ukraine and some in Russian border regions directly related to Moscow’s combat operations.”

Express added on September 20 that “Strasbourg, France, is often considered the EU’s de facto capital due to the fact it holds many of the bloc’s key institutions including the European Parliament.”

Ultimately, but not quite yet, nuclear war will break out between Europe and Russia.

“Washington’s Ukraine Obsession Is Going to Get Us All Killed!”

On September 23, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column of the Ron Paul Institute:

“Last week the world narrowly escaped likely nuclear destruction, as the Biden Administration considered Ukraine’s request to allow US missiles to strike deeply into Russian territory. Russian president Vladimir Putin warned, as the request was being considered, that because these missiles could not be launched without the active participation of the US military and NATO, Russia would consider itself in a state of war with both NATO and the US should they be launched. It was a Cuban Missile Crisis on a massive scale.

“Thankfully, permission was reportedly not granted by Washington to hit deep inside Russia, but as we have seen throughout this war, a weapons system is often first denied and then eventually granted to Washington’s proxies in Kiev. We should not rest easy even if nuclear war has been temporarily averted. Would missile strikes deep inside Russia win the war for Ukraine? Not even the Pentagon thinks so. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin himself said earlier this month that granting Ukraine permission to launch missiles into Russia would not be a ‘game-changer’ in the two and a half year war. Risking nuclear destruction for no tangible purpose? Have these people gone insane?

“Even the ‘game-changers’ have changed little in this war. How many times has the pro-war mainstream media told us a weapons system would be a ‘game-changer’ for Ukraine? Remember Javelin missiles? Leopard tanks? HIMARS?… each one of them fails to turn the tide in Ukraine’s favor…  The fact is that Russia is winning the war despite hundreds of billions of dollars and the best weapons systems from the US and NATO countries. Each new shipment of increasingly sophisticated weapons does not produce battlefield victories for Ukraine. It only produces more dead Ukrainian soldiers and more profits for the weapons manufacturers.

“Even the mainstream media… has begun to report on Ukraine’s huge losses and hopeless situation. Yet as more and more start to wake up about the disastrous proxy war, Washington only knows one direction when it comes to war: forward. Just over a week ago the Pentagon announced another $250 million arms package for Ukraine. Nobody believes that is going to reverse the steady gains made by Russia on the battlefield, but it will generate more profits for the US arms manufacturers who are the real force behind our hyper-interventionist foreign policy.

“The unlikely duo of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Donald Trump, Jr., said it best in a recent editorial in The Hill: ‘We cannot get any closer to the brink than this. And for what? To “weaken Russia”? To control Ukraine’s minerals? No vital American interest is at stake. To risk nuclear conflict for the sake of the neoconservative fantasy of global “full-spectrum dominance” is madness.’”

Zelensky Attacks Trump

Breitbart wrote on September 23:

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is bashing former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), attacking them in American media outlets…

“The New Yorker has an exhaustive piece on Zelensky penned by Joshua Yaffa, stating that the Ukrainian leader ‘speaks with the urgency of a leader who knows that he may be facing his last best chance for substantial foreign assistance’ as President Biden’s presidential term is coming to an end. The Q&A in the piece is revealing, as Zelensky openly attacks Trump, asserting that he ‘doesn’t really know how to stop the war even if he might think he knows how.’” 

No Digital Dollar in Canada

LifeSiteNews wrote on September 24:

“Plans by the Bank of Canada (BOC) to implement a digital ‘dollar,’ also known as a central bank digital currency (CBDC), have been shelved. Officials from Canada’s central bank said that a digital currency… will no longer be considered after years of investigating bringing one to market…

“Most Canadians do not want a digital dollar… an overwhelming majority of citizens want to ‘leave cash alone’… many people rely on cash to pay for things. The bank concluded that the introduction of a digital currency would only be feasible if consumers demanded its release.  The reversal comes after the BOC had already forged ahead and filed a trademark for a digital currency…

“Digital currencies have been touted as the future by some government officials, but… many experts warn that such technology would ultimately restrict freedom and be used as a ‘control tool’ against citizens similar to China’s pervasive social credit system.”

More Censorship in Canada

Rebel News wrote on September 19:

“Grave news for freedom of the press: the Federal Court of Canada just upheld an atrocious ruling by Justin Trudeau’s hand-picked censorship committee, denying Rebel News a Qualified Canadian Journalism Organization (QCJO) news licence. In free countries, readers get to decide which journalists to trust. But in Trudeau’s Canada, that’s now a government decision, and Trudeau hand-picks the censorship panel making the decision…

“Rebel News publishes thousands of news stories every year. And the busiest time in our history was during the trucker convoy, back in February, 2022. We were publishing up to twenty stories a day, almost all of it from the ground — in Ottawa, Windsor, Coutts and other protest places. We were the window on the trucker convoy for the whole world. That month, we actually had more viewers than the CBC state broadcaster gets on an average month. But here’s how Trudeau’s censorship committee described that three-week period of time: ‘only 2% of the items during the aforementioned period constituted original news content.’… the judge accepted that bizarre claim and used it as a reason to deny us a QCJO licence…

“Trudeau has spent millions of dollars censoring us, including creating this well-paid censorship panel, clearly built with us in mind… What’s extra-gross is the silence from mainstream media journalists. Most Canadian journalists have been bought off by Trudeau. If they work for the CBC, (and more than 50% of Canadian journalists do) they get 100% of their pay from Trudeau. And even if they work for the ‘private’ news media, they get, on average, a $30,000 subsidy from Trudeau. That’s why they’re silent today. And that’s another reason why they hate Rebel News: because we don’t take any cash from the government, and they’re ashamed that they do.

“Under Bill C-11, which is now law, Trudeau has the power to order companies like YouTube and Facebook to either ‘boost’ or ‘throttle’ Canadian content. It would be too conspicuous for Trudeau to order them to ban Rebel News. But all he has to do is to order them to ban journalism that doesn’t have the QCJO licence. That way he can say he wasn’t targeting Rebel News, and that the tech companies did it, not him.”

Canada’s descent into dictatorship under left-wing radical Trudeau is undeniable.

Ireland Drops Portions of Hate Speech Bill… For Now

Fox News wrote on September 21:

“The Irish government is dropping parts of its controversial hate speech laws which have been criticized by free speech advocates around the world, including X owner Elon Musk who vowed to fight the legislation in court… The measure would have allowed for the jailing of citizens for merely possessing material that criticizes certain protected characteristics, ranging from gender identity to national origin. Some critics have compared it to the concept of punishing people for ‘thoughtcrime,’ a term popularized by George Orwell’s dystopian novel ‘1984.’…

“The legislation, the Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences bill, has already passed through the Dáil, Ireland’s lower chamber, but it had stalled in the Senate, the upper chamber. [Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee] says… that legislation aimed at bringing forward tougher sentences for physical hate crimes under the bill will proceed… ‘I am adamant that hate crime legislation will be enacted,’ she said… The hate speech bill had faced mounting criticism even from government backbenches and some of those in opposition. Ireland’s main opposition party Sinn Féin voted in favor of the bill but later called for it to be scrapped.”

It’s all politics. And the push to enact freedom-denying hate speech laws will continue in Ireland, and all over the world.

Socialist Spain to Restrict Freedom of Speech?

The European Conservative wrote on September 18:

“Spain’s socialist government has unveiled radical plans to regulate the press to combat so-called ‘disinformation.’ Critics have branded the move as ‘censorship’ and an attempt by prime minister Pedro Sánchez to distract attention from an ongoing scandal involving his wife.

“The Democratic Action Plan will create a register of media outlets operating in Spain… [which] will allow the government to dictate who media outlets’ shareholders can be, their sources of financing, and how much government institutions will spend on advertising with them. Any media outlet not on the register will likely be branded ‘pseudo-media,’ a term used by the socialist government and its supporters to discredit any new outlets that deviate from the establishment line.

“In a parliamentary debate on Wednesday, the leader of the opposition centre-right Partido Popular, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, accused Sánchez of having a ‘banana-republic conception of power.’ He accused the prime minister of Censorship and persecution of anyone who dares to criticise you. We haven’t seen anything like this since Franco.’

“The plan was proposed amid an investigation into Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, who is accused of influence-peddling and corruption. The PM has blamed what he calls ‘far-right’ online media for pursuing the case. The campaign by Sánchez against supposed ‘misinformation’ has intensified since he was called—and refused—to testify before judge Juan Carlos Peinado, making him the first sitting Spanish prime minister ever to refuse such cooperation. He later announced he would sue Peinado for alleged malfeasance. A government spokesperson accused the judge of acting ‘for political motives and outside the law.’”

And so, it seems Sanchez wants to control the media to protect his wife…

The Fight Over Gibraltar

Express wrote on September 20:

“Spain has issued a dire warning to the UK, with a deal on the status of Gibraltar post Brexit yet to be agreed, despite months of negotiations… there is still no resolution to thorny border issues affecting the UK Overseas Territory. Spain repeated its warning that if the stalemate continues, it will carry out border checks on the Rock within two months…

“On November 10, the EU will introduce Entry-Exit System (EES) at all borders, effectively resulting in a hard-border between the Rock and its neighbour Spain, with fears that it could spark chaos… An open border is of huge importance for the 15,000 people who cross into Spain every day for work as well as the territory’s economy.”

The battle for Gibraltar between Spain and the UK will intensify.

Tattoos in the Catholic Church

Die Welt wrote on September 20:

“During an unusual event, the Catholic Church wants to talk to people. Brave people can get a tattoo in St. John’s Church – only Christian motifs are possible. First pray and sing together, then get a tattoo: With an unusual campaign, the Diocese of Osnabrück wants to make people curious about faith and the Catholic Church.

“Today… a tattoo service will be celebrated for the first time in Osnabrück’s St. John’s Church. The needles should buzz to the sounds of the organ. Anyone who has registered in advance can have a Christian symbol tattooed on their forearm or calf for free… Spontaneous tattoo sessions may also be possible for those who decide at short notice…

“According to the diocese, one in five people in Germany is tattooed… The priest who will lead the service is already tattooed. He is a prison chaplain for the Diocese of Osnabrück…”

Tattoos are sinful. Please read our Q&A in this regard, titled, “Does the Bible teach anything about the use of tattoos?“  

If Hitler Had Conquered Britain…

The Sun wrote on September 20:

“A CHILLING map reveals how Britain would have looked if Adolf Hitler had won World War Two – with a new capital far from London and a holiday home for the dictator. Bombshell dossiers for Operation Sea Lion – Nazi Germany’s ambitious plan for a full-scale invasion of Britain – detail how the Third Reich planned an attack on the English coast in a bid to take over Europe.

“Nazi planners identified five sectors of the English coast to attack – from Ramsgate in Kent to Selsey Bill in West Sussex. They planned to land some 100,000 troops, 650 tanks and 4,500 horses in the first wave of the attack on September 21, 1940 on the southeast coast from the French ports of Le Havre, Cherbourg, Boulogne and Ostend. Once a bridgehead had been established, a further 500,000 soldiers would have landed. They would have begun mass territorial attacks between Ramsgate and Deal, Folkestone and Dungeness, Dungeness and Rye, Bexhill-on-Sea and Beachy Head and Brighton to Selsey Bill…

“Hitler already had managed to pull off some of the greatest military campaigns that summer, capturing France and the Low Countries in Europe… German officials were convinced that an onslaught would have led to the ‘rapid abandonment’ of the British defences south of London within just two weeks – before capturing the length and breadth of the nation…

“Under German plans, Oxford – Hitler’s preferred seat of power for the Reich – was to be the new capital of Britain. The city’s historic centres were left untouched by the Germans during the devastating air raids of the Battle of Britain – believed to be part of Hitler’s plan. Plans were also to carve out the nation to form six new districts – and each of them would have had to central military control centre as big as the size of a city. Headquarters were to be set up at Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle, London, Dublin and Glasgow. Historians also believe that Ireland would have been united under the Nazis.

“Meanwhile, the famous Blenheim Palace near Oxford would have turned into Hitler’s secret holiday home in Nazi Britain. Blenheim Palace is the birthplace and ancestral home of Winston Churchill – the man who led Britain against Hitler during World War Two… Documents detailing Operation Sea Lion reveal how German researchers were employed to find out details of local road systems, geography, units of measurement, money and even translations of some Welsh words, all to be used by invading forces when they landed. The documents were found in the German naval archives after the Allies captured Berlin to end the war.

“Hitler believed that Operation Sea Lion would have led to the rapid conclusion of the war, winning over Europe and establishing his absolute dictatorship…”

The Austrian/German Adolf Hitler failed in conquering Britain, while the next German and/or Austrian leader—the beast—will succeed.

Hitler’s Death… Or Was It?

In an accompanying article, the Sun wrote on September 20:

“On April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler…  decided to take his own life in the Führerbunker in Berlin after it became clear that Germany would lose the Battle of Berlin. But in the months and years following his death, however, conspiracy theories circulated over whether or not he actually died – and if he escaped instead. It all began with the Soviet Union’s decision to seed two contradictory narratives in 1945: that Hitler died by taking cyanide or that he had survived and fled to another country.

Joseph Stalin himself even outright denied Hitler was dead when asked by US President Harry Truman.

“It is known some Nazis used hidden escape routes called ‘ratlines’ to flee from Germany as the Third Reich collapsed, with some finding shelter in South America… Declassified documents… showed how the UK and US hunted for Hitler for ten years after the end of World War 2 as they feared he was still alive. Secret documents reveal investigations into claims Hitler had a body double, U-boat sightings in Argentina, and claims that Adolf was photographed alive in Colombia.

“One document reported to the FBI in 1947 even described a town called ‘Casino’ near Rio Grande in Brazil which appeared to be ‘entirely populated’ by Germans. FBI agents interviewed an informant, who claimed to be a former French resistance fighter, who said he saw Hitler and Eva Braun sitting at a resort in the town. Many notorious Nazis did manage to escape to South America, but it is accepted by history that Hitler and Eva Braun were not among them.”

Even if Hitler survived, he would be dead by now. But the end-time “beast”— following Hitler’s footsteps, but turning out to be much worse than Hitler—is very much alive today.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

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How do you view paganism today, and exactly what is it? (Part 3)

In the second part of this series, we specifically looked at Deuteronomy 18:10 in some detail.   This section of Scripture showed that the practices mentioned were those which the people of God should not get involved with.

Let us now look at Deuteronomy 18:11: “(There shall not be found among you) one who conjures spells.”

J R Dummelow listed “this evil practice as the device by which one claimed to weave magic spells and curses by tying knots, etc.” By no stretch of imagination can this be related to “getting information from God”.  Consulter with familiar spirits” – such persons, pretending to speak with ghosts or spirits, “were probably ventriloquists who claimed to hold communications with subterranean spirits.”

They were in fact communicating with demons pretending to be communicating with the “ghosts” of departed ones.

Verse 11 continues: “(There shall not be found among you) a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.”

The Authorized Version translates “who calls up the dead” as “necromancer.”

Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible observe: “‘Necromancer’—This referred to one who made inquiries of the dead, pretending to procure vital information by this device. Despite this evil, futile thing being condemned in the law of God, Saul, king of Israel sought out the witch of Endor in order to have a conversation, as he thought, with the deceased prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 28:7-25).  From the above, it is clear enough that this paragraph deals with a number of evils that having nothing whatever to do with ‘getting a revelation from God….’”

A necromancer pretended to speak with the dead. In reality, he spoke with demons pretending to be the dead relatives of loved ones.

As we read earlier “For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you” (Deuteronomy 18:12).

God’s judgment was upon the Canaanites because of these occult practices, and if Israel took up the same occult practices, they could also expect the judgment of God.

Interestingly, enduringword.com observed: “God did not take these occult actions lightly then, nor does He now. It is consorting with the power of darkness, and always to be rejected by Christians.

“Our culture is becoming more and more accepting of these occult themes and practices, while it is becoming more and more intolerant of Biblical Christianity. In 1991, a ninth grade Junior High Student in Dickson, Tennessee, sued the school board because his teacher wouldn’t accept a research paper written on the life of Jesus. Students were allowed to write on topics such as the occult, reincarnation and spiritualism, and the teacher originally only said that the topics must be ‘decent.’ The student was given a zero on her paper when the topic was declared unacceptable (from an August, 1991 news report).”

And the decline has speeded up in more recent years.  Astrology and Ouija boards are other occult practices condemned by God but tolerated, and maybe even encouraged in our “more enlightened society.”

In decades past, the word occult dealt with anything that was outside of “natural” thinking. It was a generic term that incorporated almost everything that we now view to be part of the non-traditional spiritual frontier.

We have long understood in the Church of God that there are only two sources of spiritual power.  God is the great Creator God who is love, and Satan who is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan has only the power that God allows him to have, but it is considerable, and he is currently the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). God is allowing him some latitude at this time that is within His purpose for mankind. Satan is inevitably involved in the paganism of this world and all of the dark forces that emanate from that.

gaia.com, in its article, “What is paganism?,” gives the following list of books under the heading Paranormal and Occult:

“Tarot, the I Ching, cartomancy, or telling fortunes with regular playing cards, palmistry, numerology, phrenology, crystal gazing, clairvoyance, clairaudience, automatic writing and tea leaf reading. Also séances, astral projection out of body experiences, Ouija boards, mind-reading, auras, ghosts, haunted houses, vampirism, lycanthropy, fairies, brownies and sprites, herbalism, numerology, communicating with elemental forces, reincarnation, past lives, trances, spirit boxes, witchcraft, sorcerers and their familiars, and ritual magic. In addition, there were books on demonology, angelic communication, the dark arts, mind control, ESP for fun and profit…”

It just goes to show how much Satan and the demonic world have influenced so many people that such practices as listed above are accepted in society, and yet the Truth from the Living God can be seen as hate speech.

Paganism, the very opposite of belief in a supreme Creator God, is inextricably linked with occult practices. There are many verses condemning pagan practices in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and looking at an Analytical Concordance of the Bible will reveal these.  Let us quote just a few of so many passages to show the Bible’s consistency in condemning such practices.

Exodus 22:18 says: “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.”

Leviticus 19:31 states: “‘Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”

Leviticus 20:6 adds: “‘And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.”

2 Kings 17:17 states: “And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.”

2 Chronicles 33:6 says: “Also he [Manasseh] caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.”

Isaiah 8:19 states: “And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?”

Jeremiah 27:9 says: “Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’”

Micah 5:12 states: “I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no soothsayers.”

Nahum 3:4-5 says: “‘Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, The mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her sorceries. Behold, I am against you,’ says the LORD of hosts…”

In the New Testament, in the book of Acts 8:9 and 13, we read about Simon the Sorcerer’s profession of the Christian faith.

But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great… Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.”

However, this turned out to be a false conversion, as we read in verses 18-21:

“And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Your money perish with you [The Luther Bible 1984 writes: “… that you may be condemned with your money”] because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.’”

It was thought that this sorcerer had had a change of heart but that was not how it turned out to be. History tells us that he, as Simon Magus, went to Rome and continued his sorcery there; many think today that the Apostle Peter was in Rome, but it was indeed Simon Magus, and not Simon Peter.

Acts 19:19 states what Simon Magus should have done: “Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.”

Galatians 5:19-21 adds: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:… idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies… those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Revelation 21:8 states: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

However, in spite of the above instructions of God in His Word, mainstream Christianity continues to practice old pagan customs.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Nuclear War With Russia?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:  

The possibility of nuclear war with Russia seems to be growing. Russia’s warnings in this regard should not be ignored or taken lightly. Last week, the world narrowly escaped  a “Cuban Missile Crisis on a massive scale.” But for how long? What does this all mean?

“Nuklearkrieg mit Russland?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same material as described above.

“Who Is Jesus Christ?—His Many Descriptions in the Bible!” our newest booklet, has completed final review and has been sent to graphic designer, Shelly Bruno, in preparation for printing.

“Niedergang und Aufstieg des jüdischen Volkes,” our new German booklet, has been received from the printer and is being distributed to subscribers. This is a translation of our English booklet, “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People.”

“Das Turiner Grabtuch—eine dämonische Fälschung!” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “The Shroud of Turin—a Demonical Fake!”

“Warum hören Sie uns zu?” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Patrick Flück, is now posted. Title in English: “Why Are You Listening to Us?”

“Ich habe Dich berufen…!” last Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Title in English: “I Have Called You…!”

“Empathy,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Living in the world today poses unique challenges for each of us, and more so for a true Christian. In this Sermonette we will cover various scriptures that will help us understand that we must rely on God and His Son to guide us through the turbulence and to salvation. We also must have empathy for our Brethren and understand that we must support one another through our trials and have compassion, just as Jesus Christ has compassion for those who obey Him.

“The Legacy of Faith,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Do Christians leave a legacy–like many of those listed in the Bible? Will there be long-lasting impact for what God’s people do with their lives? By our actions, are we helping to shape our own future life in the Kingdom of God?

FALL HOLY DAYS:

Feast of Trumpets–October 3, 2024

Day of Atonement—October 12, 2024

Feast of Tabernacles—October 17-23, 2024

Last Great Day—October 24, 2024

Note: These services will be broadcast live.

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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 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

Empathy / The Legacy of Faith

On September 21, 2024, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Empathy,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “The Legacy of 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

EU Foreign Policy Chief Anti-Semitic?

The Jordan Times wrote on September 14:

“Israel’s foreign minister again accused EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell of ‘anti-Semitism’ Saturday after the top diplomat expressed outrage at the killing of UN staff in an Israeli strike in Gaza. ‘Josep Borrell is an anti-Semite and Israel-hater who consistently tries to pass resolutions and sanctions against Israel in the EU, only to be blocked by most member states,’ foreign minister Israel Katz said in a statement. On Thursday, Borrell said he was ‘outraged’ by the killing of six employees from the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) in an Israeli air strike…

“Katz has repeatedly levelled accusations of ‘anti-Semitism’ against the European Union foreign policy chief… ‘There’s a difference between legitimate criticism… and the anti-Semitic, hate-filled campaign Borrell is leading against Israel — reminiscent of history’s worst anti-Semites.’”

Borrell is not the only one. Note the next article.

Anti-Israel Media Bias

Israel Today wrote on September 13:

“The apparent bias of the ABC TV moderators in failing to call out the falsehoods reportedly spoken by US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, in the debate with former President Donald Trump this week has attracted much critical comment… over the past few years, the media’s shocking pro-Democrat, anti-Trump partisanship has destroyed its role as the guardian of democracy and established it instead as an army of ruthless activists for a political cause…

“The impression given by the British media for the past 11 months of this war has been that Israel is willfully killing huge numbers of Gaza’s women and children, recklessly bombing hospitals and schools full of displaced people, and preventing humanitarian aid from getting to civilians. Those claims are the reverse of the truth

“The most egregious serial offender is the BBC... For decades, it has sanitized Palestinian Arab terrorism and painted Israel falsely as the aggressor in the region. And during the current war in Gaza, its coverage has been overwhelmingly malevolent…

“The network’s double standards in item after item, the soft-soaping of Palestinian supporters and the aggressive interruptions of Israel’s defenders, the acceptance of Hamas propaganda and blood libels about Israeli ‘war crimes’ as fact and the equally knee-jerk assumption that the Israelis are lying, all demonstrate… that the BBC is institutionally hostile to both Israel and the truth. It is therefore a national disgrace… they have been inciting often murderous hatred of Israel around the world.

“The media may have subverted and undermined American democracy. But when it comes to Israel, it has blood on its hands.”

The whole world, and especially Europe, has ganged up on Israel.

No More German Weapons for Israel?

Reuters reported on September 18:

“Germany has put a hold on new exports of weapons of war to Israel while it deals with legal challenges, according to a Reuters analysis of data and a source close to the Economy Ministry. Last year, Germany approved arms exports to Israel worth 326.5 million euros ($363.5 million), including military equipment and war weapons, a 10-fold increase from 2022… However approvals have dropped this year, with only 14.5 million euros’ worth granted from January to Aug. 21… Of this, the ‘weapons of war’ category accounted for only 32,449 euros.

“A source close to the ministry cited a senior government official as saying it had stopped work on approving export licences for arms to Israel pending a resolution of legal cases arguing that such exports from Germany breached humanitarian law…

“… the issue has created friction within the government as the Chancellery maintains its support for Israel while the Greens-led Economy and Foreign ministries, sensitive to criticism from party members, have increasingly criticised the Netanyahu administration. Legal challenges across Europe have also led other allies of Israel to pause or suspend arms exportsBritain this month suspended 30 out of 350 licences for arms exports to Israel due to concerns that Israel could be violating international humanitarian law.

“In February, a Dutch court ordered the Netherlands to halt all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel over concerns about their use in attacks on civilian targets in Gaza.”

The situation won’t improve. Note the next article.

Detonation of Hezbollah Radios

Newsmax wrote on September 18:

“Hezbollah was rocked Wednesday by a second wave of explosions with thousands of two-way radios exploding throughout Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut and in the southern region of the country. The blasts took place one day after thousands of personal pagers exploded Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and injuring another 2,800 people.

“Sources said… that Israel was also behind the explosions of the personal radios, which are used by Hezbollah members rather than cell phones. Their walkie-talkies had been booby-trapped with explosives in advance of their delivery to Hezbollah, which uses them as part of its emergency communications system, which would be used in a war with Israel, the sources said.

“The Jerusalem Post reported that according to its sources, the explosions occurred at and near the funerals of four Hezbollah members in Lebanon… Associated Press journalists working at the scene reported the funeral was for three Hezbollah members and a child who were killed by the exploding pagers on Tuesday…

“The Post said that unofficial reports claimed that iPhones, video cameras, IC-V82 radios, and other devices also detonated, in addition to the walkie-talkies, and that Hezbollah has told its operatives to stay away from all communication devices… The Lebanese media also claimed drones and aircraft had been seen flying over western and central Lebanon while the explosions were going on. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for both attacks, but Jerusalem has been publicly silent on the issue. Several foreign media outlets have reported that Israel’s Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces intelligence were behind the incidents.”

The New York Post wrote on September 18:

“The AR-924 pagers that were detonated on Tuesday were all the latest models acquired by Hezbollah five months ago and allegedly manufactured in Budapest, according to a statement released by Gold Apollo — a Taiwanese firm that authorized the use of its brand on the pagers.  Hungarian officials however, deny the allegations, saying it has no such manufacturing facility in the country…

“Israel allegedly hid explosive material in the Taiwan-made Gold Apollo pagers before they were imported to Lebanon, the New York Times reported… The material was implanted next to the battery with a switch that could be triggered remotely to detonate. The exploding pagers were then detonated by a message impersonating the leaders of the group on Tuesday afternoon, officials said….”

Hezbollah vowed revenge. The situation in the Middle East will surely escalate.

No More Welfare Benefits for Ukrainian Refugees?

Reuters wrote on September 14:

“European governments should halt welfare benefits to Ukrainian men of military age who are living in their countries, Poland’s foreign minister said, a measure he said would help Ukraine call up more troops to fight Russian forces… More than 4.1 million Ukrainians had temporary protection status in European Union countries as of July this year, and about 22% of them were adult men… ‘Stop paying those social security payments for people who are eligible for the Ukrainian draft. There should be no financial incentives for avoiding the draft in Ukraine,’ Sikorski said at a conference of international leaders in Kyiv…

“Kyiv needs more soldiers…  Earlier this year, Ukraine adopted new legislation and implemented other measures, including lowering the call-up age or combat duty to 25 from 27… Kyiv ordered Ukrainian men living abroad to renew their military draft information online and encouraged them to return to Ukraine and join the fight.

“Ukraine imposed martial law at the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022, banning men aged 18 to 60 from travelling abroad without special permission and beginning a rolling mobilisation of civilian men into the armed forces. But many men of military age have still fled abroad to avoid the draft amid reports of corruption in the army recruitment system, allowing some men to bribe their way out of army service.”

Fighting in war is sin and murder. Europe is becoming more and more an “armed camp,” determined to fight and kill in unjust and ungodly wars.

No German Long-Range Weapons for Ukraine?

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 14:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday ruled out the delivery of long-range precision to Ukraine in the future regardless of decisions made by NATO allies… Scholz said that the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles would entail ‘a great risk of escalation’

“Taurus cruise missiles have a range of around 500 kilometers (310,6 miles), which would allow Ukraine to strike targets in Moscow. ‘I said no to that,’ Scholz asserted. ‘And of course that also applies to other weapons…’ adding that this would not change ‘even if other countries decide differently.’

“At the same event in Prenzlau, Scholz said that Berlin seeks to prosecute the perpetrators of an attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines. ‘That was a terroristic act,’ Scholz said, adding that his government had called on security authorities and public prosecutors to continue investigations into the incident. ‘We want to bring those who did this, if we can get a hold of them, to court in Germany,’ he said, adding that there would be no ‘leniency’ in this case… He said that replacing Russian gas with other source shad cost Germany substantially more than €100 billion ($110.8 billion).”

Germany is under pressure from Russia. Politico reported on September 13, 2024:

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius shrugged off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threat of retaliation should Western allies allow Ukraine to use their long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia… The Russian leader delivered an explicit message Thursday night to Ukraine’s Western partners, warning them against letting Kyiv use donated long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia. ‘This will mean that NATO countries, the United States, and European countries are fighting Russia,’ he said.”

Pistorius is not in charge. And Scholz’ reply seems to be an attempt to appease Russia. In addition, strong implications suggest that in some way, Ukraine was behind the attack on the two pipelines.

German Warships a “Security Risk”?

BNN wrote on September 15:

“The passage of two German Navy ships through the Taiwan Strait on Friday ‘increased security risks’ in the region, the Chinese military has said. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing accused Berlin of staging a ‘provocation’ and violating the One-China policy. Taiwan has been de facto self-governing since 1949, when the Nationalist forces lost the Chinese Civil War to the Communists and fled to the island. Taiwan is currently recognized as a sovereign nation by only 12 countries in the world. While adhering on paper to the One-China policy, in which the government in Beijing is the sole ruling authority over Chinese territories, the US has for decades maintained unofficial relations with and supported Taipei.

“China insists that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory, with President Xi Jinping warning that Beijing could resort to military force to regain control over the island. In a post on X on Friday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry confirmed that a ‘German naval frigate and a supply ship each sailed through the Taiwan Strait from north to south today.’ The passage of the Baden-Wuerttemberg frigate and the Frankfurt am Main replenishment ship was the first of its kind in 22 years

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday that ‘international waters are international waters, it is the shortest route, it is the safest route given the weather conditions… so we pass through.’ Despite China’s repeated protests, the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and France have sent warships through the waterway on multiple occasions.”

China and Russia have indicated that they would work together militarily against their enemies in case of a conflict.

Germany’s (and Europe’s) Immigration Problem

The Daily Mail wrote on September 16:

“Germany brings in its plan to end unchecked illegal immigration to the country today with enhanced border controls at all nine of its borders. The new controls will be in place for an initial six months and are expected to include temporary structures at land crossings and spot checks by federal police.  The coalition government hopes to show its seriousness about efforts to tackle irregular migration following a spate of Islamist attacks in recent months that have galvanised groups on the far-right. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser insisted yesterday that the step would help ‘put a stop to criminals and identify and stop Islamists at an early stage’.

“But the policy has not been without its criticism internally, and risks fracturing Germany’s centre-left coalition and alienating its European neighbours.  Poland and Austria are among the neighbours that have voiced concern, while the European Commission has warned that members of the 27-nation bloc must only impose such steps in exceptional circumstances.

“Germany lies at the heart of Europe and borders nine countries that are part of the visa-free Schengen zone, designed to allow the free movement of people and goods. Border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland were already in place before the crackdown was announced. But these will now be expanded to Germany’s borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, too…

“In recent weeks, a string of extremist attacks have shocked Germany, fuelling rising public anger. Last month, a man on a knife rampage killed three people and wounded eight more at a festival in the western city of Solingen. The Syrian suspect, who has alleged links to the Islamic State group, had been intended for deportation but managed to evade authorities. The enforcement failure set off a bitter debate which marked the run-up to two regional polls in the formerly communist east, where the anti-immigration AfD scored unprecedented results.

“With national elections looming next year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has been under intense political pressure to toughen its stance on migrants and asylum seekers. Scholz was in Uzbekistan on Sunday to sign a migration deal for workers to come to Germany, while simplifying deportation procedures in the opposite direction so that ‘those that must go back do go back’, the chancellor said. Closer to home, the German government has presented plans to speed up deportations to European partners.

“Under EU rules, asylum requests are meant to be handled by the country of arrival. The system has placed a huge strain on countries on the European periphery, where leaders have demanded more burden-sharing. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Germany tightening its borders means that it would ‘essentially pass the buck to countries located on the outer borders of Europe’. Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said his country ‘will not accept people who are rejected from Germany’, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned Germany’s move as ‘unacceptable’. Warsaw has also struggled with migration and accused Moscow of smuggling people from Africa and the Middle East into Europe by sending them through Belarus to the Polish border….

“Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, meanwhile, mocked the German chancellor on social media site X, writing: ‘Bundeskanzler Scholz, welcome to the club! #StopMigration.’  Germany took in more than a million asylum seekers in 2015-16, many of them Syrians, and has hosted over a million Ukrainians since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022…

“In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Friday unveiled the country’s strictest migration policy yet, saying it will request an opt-out from EU common policy on asylum next week. A four-party coalition dominated by far-right firebrand Geert Wilders’s Freedom Party wants to declare an ‘asylum crisis’ to curb the influx of migrants through a tough set of rules including border controls.”

All of this comes far too late for Germany, as criminal immigrants and terrorists are already in the country. And sadly, it all seems to be dictated by politics—with the hope that incompetent politicians might be reelected.

Controversial EU Commissioner Resigns Because of Controversial von der Leyen

Euro News wrote on September 17:

“Thierry Breton, the powerful European Commissioner in charge of the internal market, abruptly resigned on Monday, claiming that Ursula von der Leyen had pressured France, his home country, to submit another candidate to replace him ‘for personal reasons.’… ‘A few days ago, in the very last stretch of negotiations on the composition of the future of the College, you asked France to withdraw my name – for personal reasons that in no instance you have discussed directly with me – and offered, as a political trade-off, an allegedly more influential portfolio for France in the future College,’ Breton wrote. ‘… in light of these developments – further testimony to questionable governance – I have concluded that I can no longer exercise my duties in the College…’

“Breton’s shock exit deals a new blow to von der Leyen’s ongoing efforts to build her new College of Commissioners, a delicate undertaking that requires balancing considerations on gender, geography and party politics. The presentation of her new team has already been delayed due to a political fight in Slovenia, where the conservative opposition has contested the appointment of Marta Kos as the country’s Commissioner-designate…

“Still, the magnitude of Breton’s departure cannot be understated: the Frenchman had acquired a strong profile in Brussels after playing a key role in the bloc’s production of COVID-19 vaccines, the industrial ramp-up to provide Ukraine with more military support and, most notably, the regulatory push to rein in the excesses of Big Tech and AI.

“But he had also become a divisive character in the city. His letter to Elon Musk in August ahead of the billionaire’s interview with Donald Trump was decried as an assault against freedom of expression and a blatant case of power overreach…”

“British Army Stockpiles Depleted Amid £7,600,000,000 of Military Aid Sent to Ukraine”

MSN wrote on September 16:

“Military aid to Ukraine has left gaps in the UK armed forces’ capabilities. The UK has sent Challenger 2 tanks, millions of rounds of ammunition, and hundreds of boat and land vehicles to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

“It’s made a difference, with all of the Challengers donated last summer being deployed on the frontlines against Russia’s Soviet-built tanks.”

And Now Australia… Censoring Free Speech

Rebel News wrote on September 12:

“Elon Musk has slammed the Australian government, labelling them ‘fascists’ in response to proposed legislation to combat what it sees as misinformation on social media platforms. Musk, who owns X (formerly Twitter), made the blunt comment in reaction to a post outlining the new laws, which could fine social media companies up to 5 per cent of their annual revenue… The highly controversial proposed laws… will give the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) unprecedented powers to control online in the name of cracking down on misinformation.

“ACMA could fine platforms and even approve an industry code of conduct to address the issue if self-regulation fails. However, critics argue that these laws could severely limit free speech. John Storey from the Institute of Public Affairs described it as ‘the biggest attack on freedom of speech in peacetime Australia,’ warning that it could capture ‘any difference of opinion.’”

It’s happening all over the so-called “free” world.

Second Assassination Attempt on Trump

NBC News wrote on September 15:

“One [sniper] is in custody after shots were fired Sunday in what the FBI is calling an apparent second ‘attempted assassination’ of former President Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. An AR-style [Ak-47] rifle was recovered from the scene, law enforcement officials told NBC News. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, was ‘safe’ after the incident…

“A representative for the Secret Service said at the news conference that it wasn’t clear whether the suspect ‘was able to take a shot at our agents’ before the agents shot at the suspect… The Secret Service spokesperson… said the suspect… was an estimated 400 to 500 yards away from Trump…”

The New York Post reported that the arrested sniper is a long-time Democrat from Hawaii. “The alleged shooter mounted a GoPro on the fence and was ‘intent on filming’ what would have been the murder of a former president, officials said… [He] was previously convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction… [He] was also arrested over two decades ago following a three-hour standoff…”

We are living in dangerous times, because Satan the Devil is very angry. We ALL need God’s protection.

Reckless Rhetoric to Blame for Second Trump Assassination Attempt

On September 15, 2024, the New York Post published the following article by Miranda Devine:

“It’s a frightening development that highlights the recklessness of the hateful rhetoric constantly aimed at Trump by his political opponents, even after he was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania in July. Last week, Kamala Harris falsely accused Trump of calling Nazis ‘fine people,’ promising a ‘bloodbath,’ and being responsible for ‘the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.’ She and Joe Biden and their surrogates constantly exaggerate the J6 Capitol riot and use it to frame Trump as a ‘threat to democracy.’

“Biden has labeled Trump and ‘MAGA Republicans’ as ‘semi-fascists’ and domestic terrorists. Tim Walz called Trump a ‘fascist’ and a ‘threat to Democracy’ who will ‘put people’s lives in danger.’ On Saturday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) described Trump as ‘a candidate explicitly running on the promise of political violence.’ In Orwellian fashion, they accuse Trump and his supporters of stoking violence, when the evidence is almost all the other way… What will it take for these demented partisans to lower the temperature?”

Devine has a point. Also note the next article.

Media Ite wrote on September 16:

“Former President Donald Trump directly blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for a gunman targeting him at his West Palm Beach golf club on Sunday… [Trump] claimed the gunman was motivated by the top Democrats’ ‘highly inflammatory language.’ ‘He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,’ Trump said, claiming, ‘Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out’

“Trump pointed to Biden and Harris’ past comments casting Trump as a ‘threat to democracy,’ while telling Americans they are ‘unity’ leaders… ‘It is called the enemy from within. They are the real threat,’ Trump added…” 

Abhorrent Security Failures… and Unintended Consequences

On September 16, The Sun published the following article by Piers Morgan:

“How could this have happened again…? I would have assumed that after the catastrophic security failure in July, when that shooter was able to lie on a roof 150 yards from a Trump rally stage, the Secret Service would have made… sure nobody could get that close to their protectee again. I was sadly, shockingly wrong… please spare me any applause for the Secret Service.

“The fact this shooter could get that close was another abject security failure of horrifying proportions, and even more inexplicable and disgraceful coming so soon after the last one. Why wasn’t the whole perimeter of the course being monitored? The answer is staggering… Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Trump would be receiving more security if he was still in office… Have you ever heard anything so dumb?…

“The agency is self-evidently failing… And I dread to think what would happen to America if Trump ever does get assassinated… As for the political repercussions of this latest assassination attempt, it can only be a massive boost to Trump, as the last one was. Once again, he showed immense calm in a life-threatening crisis, with witnesses saying his main concern was to make sure others on the course with him at the time were OK…  Love him or hate him, Trump has shown balls of steel over these threats to his life, and that won’t be lost on an American public who like their commanders-in-chief to be strong.

“The latest incident has also completely supplanted a news cycle that was being dominated by very negative fallout over his debate loss last week to Democratic rival Kamala Harris… There’s an incredible irony that right when he was enduring the worst week of his presidential race, Trump has been handed an election-winning lifeline by another attempt on his life.”

Melania Trump: Beware of the FBI

Newsmax wrote on September 15:

“Former first lady Melania Trump issued a warning to all Americans that the Biden-Harris administration’s FBI could threaten their Fourth Amendment rights that protect against unreasonable searches and seizures. Trump used X on Saturday to post a video reminding users of the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. ‘I never imagined my privacy would be invaded by the government here, in America,’ the former first lady said in the video. ‘The FBI invaded my home in Florida, and searched through my personal belongings. This is not just my story. It serves as a warning to all Americans, a reminder that our freedom and rights must be respected.’…

“In another X post earlier this week, Melania Trump fanned the flames of conspiracy surrounding the [first] assassination attempt on her husband, saying efforts need to be made to ‘uncover the truth.’ ‘The attempt to end my husband’s life was a horrible, distressing experience,’ she said of the incident in July in Butler, Pennsylvania. ‘Now, the silence around it feels heavy. I can’t help but wonder: Why didn’t law enforcement officials arrest the shooter before the speech? There’s definitely more to this story, and we need to uncover the truth.’”

We would agree with Melania Trump on both counts, especially in light of the second assassination attempt on her husband. Important questions are not being addressed or discussed..

Clearly Biased ABC Moderators

Breitbart wrote on September 15:

“ABC News’ Linsey Davis, one of two moderators for last week’s presidential debate, admitted to the Los Angeles Times that the plan was only to fact-check former President Donald Trump, and not Vice President Kamala Harris… Davis and co-moderator David Muir fact-checked Trump seven times — often incorrectly — while never fact-checking Harris once, even when she used hoaxes, such as the Charlottesville ‘very fine people’ hoax.

“Davis told the Times that ABC had deliberately targeted Trump — and only Trump — because of perceptions that he had been allowed to get away with false statements in the CNN debate against President Joe Biden in late June…. Davis admitted that the moderators studied past statements… but somehow did not prepare to check Harris’s repeated use of hoaxes…”

This is appalling! But no surprise! That is how politics is being made.

ABC News Must Correct False Claim Regarding Abortion

Fox News wrote on September 12:

“A prominent pro-life group isn’t happy with ABC News over its hosting of Tuesday’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump.  Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America on Wednesday sent a letter to ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic and debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis that urges them to issue a correction and meet with abortion survivors over a viral moment where Davis fact-checked Trump.

“‘[The] ABC News Presidential Debate featured network moderator Linsey Davis attempting to debunk former President Trump’s assertion that some states allow for the killing of an infant after birth,’ Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America president Marjorie Dannenfelser wrote in the letter…  

“During the debate, Trump referred to infamous comments made by former Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam in 2019 but was promptly ‘fact-checked’ by Davis. At the time, Northam suggested that in those rare instances of third-trimester abortions, a baby could be born alive… ‘The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother,’ Northam said in 2019.

“Trump’s apparent reference to Northam at the debate drew a quick rebuke from Davis. ‘There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born,’ Davis said. 

“Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America claims the ABC moderator was ‘inaccurate’ and should correct the record. ‘This is 100% inaccurate. Her statement tragically ignores the reality of babies who survive failed, late-term abortions but are denied basic medical care and left to die,’ Dannenfelser wrote. ‘We are writing to request a swift correction from Ms. Davis and ABC News. It is undeniable that babies are born in this country after failed abortions…’ ‘It’s also a fact that, as a U.S. senator, Kamala Harris voted against protections for babies born alive after failed abortions. And as a member of Congress, her running mate Tim Walz even issued a public apology for ‘accidentally’ voting for said legislation after he previously voted against it,’ Dannenfelser wrote.”

The conduct of the two ABC moderators was appalling. And don’t hold your breath if you expect that they or ABC News will correct their false assertions.

Eating Pets in Ohio?

The Associated Press wrote on September 15:

“Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance did not back away on Sunday from the… claims he and Donald Trump have been making that Haitians in an Ohio community are abducting and eating pets, even as the state’s GOP governor and other officials insist there is no evidence of such behavior.

“Vance, an Ohio senator, said constituents in Springfield are bringing concerns to him and that at least 10 were ‘verifiable.’ In a series of news show interviews, he said he was amplifying the claims as a way to draw attention to Democrat Kamala Harris’ immigration policies, which he said are lax, while adding, ‘Everybody who has dealt with a large influx of migration knows that sometimes there are cultural practices that seem very far out there to a lot of Americans.’”

Vance only states the obvious. Please view our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “The Biggest Loser in the Trump/Harris Debate.” 

Pope Francis Recommends Voting for the Lesser Evil

LifeSiteNews wrote on September 13:

“Pope Francis has weighed in on the U.S. presidential race by claiming that he doesn’t know whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is the worse candidate because opposing migration and supporting abortion are both ‘anti-life.’ ‘Sending migrants away, not giving migrants [the] ability to work, not giving migrants [a] welcome is a sin, it’s serious,’ Francis said… At the same time, Francis said, ‘sending a baby away from its mother’s breast is murder, because there is life.’ The Church ‘does not allow abortion because it is killing,’ he added…”

At the same time, the Catholic church does allow killing in a “righteous war,” even though that is killing too. And is it a sin to not allow murderers and rapists into our country?

The Daily Mail wrote on September 13:

“Pope Francis on Friday slammed both U.S. presidential candidates for what he called anti-life policies on abortion and migration and advised American Catholics to choose the ‘lesser evil’ in the upcoming U.S. elections…

“Francis said migration is a right described in Scripture, and that anyone who does not follow the Biblical call to welcome the stranger is committing a ‘grave sin.’ He was also blunt in speaking about abortion… ‘One should voteand choose the lesser evil,’ he said. ‘Who is the lesser evil, the woman or man? I don´t know,’ he said. ‘Everyone in their conscience should think and do it.’

“It´s not the first time Francis has weighed in on a U.S. election. In the run-up to the 2016 election, Francis was asked about Trump´s plan to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexican border. Francis declared then that anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants ‘is not Christian.’…”

Where does it say in the Bible that migration is a right and the violation of that right is a sin? Also, the argument to fulfill one’s “civil duty” to vote for the lesser evil ignores willfully the fact that one would still vote for an evil—something a Christian is prohibited to do in God’s Word.

Francis’ Blasphemous Comments

LifesiteNews wrote on September 13:

“The Holy See Press Office has released a misleading English translation of Pope Francis’ controversial comments about all religions leading to God, as criticism of Francis’ words continues to grow. Addressing an inter-religious group of young people in Singapore on September 13, Pope Francis drew heavily on the nation’s multi-religious nature: ‘Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. And how is God God for all? We are all sons and daughters of God. But my god is more important than your god, is that true? There is only one God and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.’

“However, the Holy See Press Office has published a markedly different and misleading translation of the papal comments in the English transcript of his meeting. The Vatican’s official English version reads: ‘Religions are seen as paths trying to reach God.’ The difference is notable, and the online transcript of Francis’ remarks appear as far less controversial or problematic than his actual remarks.”

The pope’s statements are in clear violation of the First Commandment.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

Update 1129

Empathy / The Legacy of Faith

On September 21, 2024, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Empathy,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “The Legacy of 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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Commitment

by Rene Messier (Canada)

Sometimes tests and trials come early when God is calling us into His Church, and we at times have to make tough decisions which affect us and our families.  One such test is the keeping of the Sabbath, regardless of the consequences. When I was called into the Truth, I had a government job with security, pension, and benefits. Upon learning of the Sabbath, that we must not just keep it but also not work for a living on that day, I had to make a decision since my job conflicted with the Sabbath

I remember it well: I had been reading the Worldwide Church of God booklet, “United States and the British Commonwealth in Prophecy,” and it was not until the second time I read it that it dawned on me that I had to quit my job in order to obey God.

I was working on the second floor of the Prison Hospital, walking back and forth thinking about this, and I made up my mind then and there that I would have to resign and also refuse to work on Saturday which was coming up in a few days.

I was working a dayshift at the time, and it was not more than five seconds after deciding to quit, when the officer in charge came up the stairs and asked me if I could work a double shift because the man scheduled to work had called in sick.  I immediately replied, “Yes, If I can have Saturday off,” which he immediately agreed to.  There was no conflict with the Sabbath in my schedule for a while, and I took the opportunity to resign before the Sabbath issue came up again.

Upon returning home that evening, I told my wife about my decision, and she asked what we were going to do and I said, we would have to trust in God.

I recall on my last day at work that a fellow officer asked me if I was resigning because of my beliefs, and when I told him that I was, he replied that I was making a big mistake. This was in the early part of June, and it was an interesting summer that year.

I worked at several jobs. I was helping a Moving Company to move furniture and goods, I helped a bricklayer for a while, and I worked at a Plywood Plant where I got fired after telling the foreman on the afternoon shift that I could not work on a Friday after sunset, and I went home before the Sabbath. I then worked for the Teamster Union, loading and unloading boxcars.

One day in August in 1969, not having any work that day, I was helping my dad at his place, and after I was finished, I was moved to go to apply for a job at BC Hydro in Vancouver. I filled out an application, and as I was about to walk out, the receptionist said to my surprise that the Personnel Manager wanted to see me.

The interview went very well. He had a lot of questions about my job as a Prison Guard and he said he would let me know because they needed workers to work in the Fraser Valley, close to where I lived at the time.

On Friday, September 12, after not hearing anything from the Manager, I decided to call him. He said to me, “I am glad you called, I have been wanting to call you, you can start in the Fraser Valley on Monday, the 15th.” This was a good and secure government company to work for, better than the previous one I had.

Does God bless our commitments to obey Him, regardless of circumstances?

Within four years, I had become the highest paid employee in the Union and was being paid extra as a first aid attendant.

This all came about due to the commitment to obey God who in the end provided me with a better and well-paid job, benefits, and time off for keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days.

I worked there for thirty-eight years until the Summer of 2007 when I retired.

God fulfilled His promise to bless us when we make the choice to serve Him, regardless of the cost. I trust my experience should be encouraging and motivating to anyone facing similar trials, to put our complete trust in God.

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by Norbert Link

We begin with Europe’s and Britain’s hostility against Israel and further violent actions in the Middle East; and report on developments regarding Ukraine and China, with special emphasis on Germany’s behavior. We also report on Australia’s intentions to censor free speech.

We speak on a SECOND assassination attempt on Donald Trump’s life; Melania Trump’s warning of the FBI; and the controversial conduct of ABC News and their moderators during the Trump/Harris debate. In this regard, please view our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “The Biggest Loser in the Trump/Harris Debate.” 

We conclude with unbiblical comments by Pope Francis, in violation of God’s Word and the Ten Commandments. In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Recent Unbiblical Comments by Pope Francis.”

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EU Foreign Policy Chief Anti-Semitic?

The Jordan Times wrote on September 14:

“Israel’s foreign minister again accused EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell of ‘anti-Semitism’ Saturday after the top diplomat expressed outrage at the killing of UN staff in an Israeli strike in Gaza. ‘Josep Borrell is an anti-Semite and Israel-hater who consistently tries to pass resolutions and sanctions against Israel in the EU, only to be blocked by most member states,’ foreign minister Israel Katz said in a statement. On Thursday, Borrell said he was ‘outraged’ by the killing of six employees from the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) in an Israeli air strike…

“Katz has repeatedly levelled accusations of ‘anti-Semitism’ against the European Union foreign policy chief… ‘There’s a difference between legitimate criticism… and the anti-Semitic, hate-filled campaign Borrell is leading against Israel — reminiscent of history’s worst anti-Semites.’”

Borrell is not the only one. Note the next article.

Anti-Israel Media Bias

Israel Today wrote on September 13:

“The apparent bias of the ABC TV moderators in failing to call out the falsehoods reportedly spoken by US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, in the debate with former President Donald Trump this week has attracted much critical comment… over the past few years, the media’s shocking pro-Democrat, anti-Trump partisanship has destroyed its role as the guardian of democracy and established it instead as an army of ruthless activists for a political cause…

“The impression given by the British media for the past 11 months of this war has been that Israel is willfully killing huge numbers of Gaza’s women and children, recklessly bombing hospitals and schools full of displaced people, and preventing humanitarian aid from getting to civilians. Those claims are the reverse of the truth

“The most egregious serial offender is the BBC... For decades, it has sanitized Palestinian Arab terrorism and painted Israel falsely as the aggressor in the region. And during the current war in Gaza, its coverage has been overwhelmingly malevolent…

“The network’s double standards in item after item, the soft-soaping of Palestinian supporters and the aggressive interruptions of Israel’s defenders, the acceptance of Hamas propaganda and blood libels about Israeli ‘war crimes’ as fact and the equally knee-jerk assumption that the Israelis are lying, all demonstrate… that the BBC is institutionally hostile to both Israel and the truth. It is therefore a national disgrace… they have been inciting often murderous hatred of Israel around the world.

“The media may have subverted and undermined American democracy. But when it comes to Israel, it has blood on its hands.”

The whole world, and especially Europe, has ganged up on Israel.

No More German Weapons for Israel?

Reuters reported on September 18:

“Germany has put a hold on new exports of weapons of war to Israel while it deals with legal challenges, according to a Reuters analysis of data and a source close to the Economy Ministry. Last year, Germany approved arms exports to Israel worth 326.5 million euros ($363.5 million), including military equipment and war weapons, a 10-fold increase from 2022… However approvals have dropped this year, with only 14.5 million euros’ worth granted from January to Aug. 21… Of this, the ‘weapons of war’ category accounted for only 32,449 euros.

“A source close to the ministry cited a senior government official as saying it had stopped work on approving export licences for arms to Israel pending a resolution of legal cases arguing that such exports from Germany breached humanitarian law…

“… the issue has created friction within the government as the Chancellery maintains its support for Israel while the Greens-led Economy and Foreign ministries, sensitive to criticism from party members, have increasingly criticised the Netanyahu administration. Legal challenges across Europe have also led other allies of Israel to pause or suspend arms exportsBritain this month suspended 30 out of 350 licences for arms exports to Israel due to concerns that Israel could be violating international humanitarian law.

“In February, a Dutch court ordered the Netherlands to halt all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel over concerns about their use in attacks on civilian targets in Gaza.”

The situation won’t improve. Note the next article.

Detonation of Hezbollah Radios

Newsmax wrote on September 18:

“Hezbollah was rocked Wednesday by a second wave of explosions with thousands of two-way radios exploding throughout Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut and in the southern region of the country. The blasts took place one day after thousands of personal pagers exploded Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and injuring another 2,800 people.

“Sources said… that Israel was also behind the explosions of the personal radios, which are used by Hezbollah members rather than cell phones. Their walkie-talkies had been booby-trapped with explosives in advance of their delivery to Hezbollah, which uses them as part of its emergency communications system, which would be used in a war with Israel, the sources said.

“The Jerusalem Post reported that according to its sources, the explosions occurred at and near the funerals of four Hezbollah members in Lebanon… Associated Press journalists working at the scene reported the funeral was for three Hezbollah members and a child who were killed by the exploding pagers on Tuesday…

“The Post said that unofficial reports claimed that iPhones, video cameras, IC-V82 radios, and other devices also detonated, in addition to the walkie-talkies, and that Hezbollah has told its operatives to stay away from all communication devices… The Lebanese media also claimed drones and aircraft had been seen flying over western and central Lebanon while the explosions were going on. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for both attacks, but Jerusalem has been publicly silent on the issue. Several foreign media outlets have reported that Israel’s Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces intelligence were behind the incidents.”

The New York Post wrote on September 18:

“The AR-924 pagers that were detonated on Tuesday were all the latest models acquired by Hezbollah five months ago and allegedly manufactured in Budapest, according to a statement released by Gold Apollo — a Taiwanese firm that authorized the use of its brand on the pagers.  Hungarian officials however, deny the allegations, saying it has no such manufacturing facility in the country…

“Israel allegedly hid explosive material in the Taiwan-made Gold Apollo pagers before they were imported to Lebanon, the New York Times reported… The material was implanted next to the battery with a switch that could be triggered remotely to detonate. The exploding pagers were then detonated by a message impersonating the leaders of the group on Tuesday afternoon, officials said….”

Hezbollah vowed revenge. The situation in the Middle East will surely escalate.

No More Welfare Benefits for Ukrainian Refugees?

Reuters wrote on September 14:

“European governments should halt welfare benefits to Ukrainian men of military age who are living in their countries, Poland’s foreign minister said, a measure he said would help Ukraine call up more troops to fight Russian forces… More than 4.1 million Ukrainians had temporary protection status in European Union countries as of July this year, and about 22% of them were adult men… ‘Stop paying those social security payments for people who are eligible for the Ukrainian draft. There should be no financial incentives for avoiding the draft in Ukraine,’ Sikorski said at a conference of international leaders in Kyiv…

“Kyiv needs more soldiers…  Earlier this year, Ukraine adopted new legislation and implemented other measures, including lowering the call-up age or combat duty to 25 from 27… Kyiv ordered Ukrainian men living abroad to renew their military draft information online and encouraged them to return to Ukraine and join the fight.

“Ukraine imposed martial law at the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022, banning men aged 18 to 60 from travelling abroad without special permission and beginning a rolling mobilisation of civilian men into the armed forces. But many men of military age have still fled abroad to avoid the draft amid reports of corruption in the army recruitment system, allowing some men to bribe their way out of army service.”

Fighting in war is sin and murder. Europe is becoming more and more an “armed camp,” determined to fight and kill in unjust and ungodly wars.

No German Long-Range Weapons for Ukraine?

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 14:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday ruled out the delivery of long-range precision to Ukraine in the future regardless of decisions made by NATO allies… Scholz said that the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles would entail ‘a great risk of escalation’

“Taurus cruise missiles have a range of around 500 kilometers (310,6 miles), which would allow Ukraine to strike targets in Moscow. ‘I said no to that,’ Scholz asserted. ‘And of course that also applies to other weapons…’ adding that this would not change ‘even if other countries decide differently.’

“At the same event in Prenzlau, Scholz said that Berlin seeks to prosecute the perpetrators of an attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines. ‘That was a terroristic act,’ Scholz said, adding that his government had called on security authorities and public prosecutors to continue investigations into the incident. ‘We want to bring those who did this, if we can get a hold of them, to court in Germany,’ he said, adding that there would be no ‘leniency’ in this case… He said that replacing Russian gas with other source shad cost Germany substantially more than €100 billion ($110.8 billion).”

Germany is under pressure from Russia. Politico reported on September 13, 2024:

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius shrugged off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threat of retaliation should Western allies allow Ukraine to use their long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia… The Russian leader delivered an explicit message Thursday night to Ukraine’s Western partners, warning them against letting Kyiv use donated long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia. ‘This will mean that NATO countries, the United States, and European countries are fighting Russia,’ he said.”

Pistorius is not in charge. And Scholz’ reply seems to be an attempt to appease Russia. In addition, strong implications suggest that in some way, Ukraine was behind the attack on the two pipelines.

German Warships a “Security Risk”?

BNN wrote on September 15:

“The passage of two German Navy ships through the Taiwan Strait on Friday ‘increased security risks’ in the region, the Chinese military has said. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing accused Berlin of staging a ‘provocation’ and violating the One-China policy. Taiwan has been de facto self-governing since 1949, when the Nationalist forces lost the Chinese Civil War to the Communists and fled to the island. Taiwan is currently recognized as a sovereign nation by only 12 countries in the world. While adhering on paper to the One-China policy, in which the government in Beijing is the sole ruling authority over Chinese territories, the US has for decades maintained unofficial relations with and supported Taipei.

“China insists that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory, with President Xi Jinping warning that Beijing could resort to military force to regain control over the island. In a post on X on Friday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry confirmed that a ‘German naval frigate and a supply ship each sailed through the Taiwan Strait from north to south today.’ The passage of the Baden-Wuerttemberg frigate and the Frankfurt am Main replenishment ship was the first of its kind in 22 years

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday that ‘international waters are international waters, it is the shortest route, it is the safest route given the weather conditions… so we pass through.’ Despite China’s repeated protests, the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and France have sent warships through the waterway on multiple occasions.”

China and Russia have indicated that they would work together militarily against their enemies in case of a conflict.

Germany’s (and Europe’s) Immigration Problem

The Daily Mail wrote on September 16:

“Germany brings in its plan to end unchecked illegal immigration to the country today with enhanced border controls at all nine of its borders. The new controls will be in place for an initial six months and are expected to include temporary structures at land crossings and spot checks by federal police.  The coalition government hopes to show its seriousness about efforts to tackle irregular migration following a spate of Islamist attacks in recent months that have galvanised groups on the far-right. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser insisted yesterday that the step would help ‘put a stop to criminals and identify and stop Islamists at an early stage’.

“But the policy has not been without its criticism internally, and risks fracturing Germany’s centre-left coalition and alienating its European neighbours.  Poland and Austria are among the neighbours that have voiced concern, while the European Commission has warned that members of the 27-nation bloc must only impose such steps in exceptional circumstances.

“Germany lies at the heart of Europe and borders nine countries that are part of the visa-free Schengen zone, designed to allow the free movement of people and goods. Border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland were already in place before the crackdown was announced. But these will now be expanded to Germany’s borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, too…

“In recent weeks, a string of extremist attacks have shocked Germany, fuelling rising public anger. Last month, a man on a knife rampage killed three people and wounded eight more at a festival in the western city of Solingen. The Syrian suspect, who has alleged links to the Islamic State group, had been intended for deportation but managed to evade authorities. The enforcement failure set off a bitter debate which marked the run-up to two regional polls in the formerly communist east, where the anti-immigration AfD scored unprecedented results.

“With national elections looming next year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has been under intense political pressure to toughen its stance on migrants and asylum seekers. Scholz was in Uzbekistan on Sunday to sign a migration deal for workers to come to Germany, while simplifying deportation procedures in the opposite direction so that ‘those that must go back do go back’, the chancellor said. Closer to home, the German government has presented plans to speed up deportations to European partners.

“Under EU rules, asylum requests are meant to be handled by the country of arrival. The system has placed a huge strain on countries on the European periphery, where leaders have demanded more burden-sharing. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Germany tightening its borders means that it would ‘essentially pass the buck to countries located on the outer borders of Europe’. Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said his country ‘will not accept people who are rejected from Germany’, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned Germany’s move as ‘unacceptable’. Warsaw has also struggled with migration and accused Moscow of smuggling people from Africa and the Middle East into Europe by sending them through Belarus to the Polish border….

“Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, meanwhile, mocked the German chancellor on social media site X, writing: ‘Bundeskanzler Scholz, welcome to the club! #StopMigration.’  Germany took in more than a million asylum seekers in 2015-16, many of them Syrians, and has hosted over a million Ukrainians since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022…

“In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Friday unveiled the country’s strictest migration policy yet, saying it will request an opt-out from EU common policy on asylum next week. A four-party coalition dominated by far-right firebrand Geert Wilders’s Freedom Party wants to declare an ‘asylum crisis’ to curb the influx of migrants through a tough set of rules including border controls.”

All of this comes far too late for Germany, as criminal immigrants and terrorists are already in the country. And sadly, it all seems to be dictated by politics—with the hope that incompetent politicians might be reelected.

Controversial EU Commissioner Resigns Because of Controversial von der Leyen

Euro News wrote on September 17:

“Thierry Breton, the powerful European Commissioner in charge of the internal market, abruptly resigned on Monday, claiming that Ursula von der Leyen had pressured France, his home country, to submit another candidate to replace him ‘for personal reasons.’… ‘A few days ago, in the very last stretch of negotiations on the composition of the future of the College, you asked France to withdraw my name – for personal reasons that in no instance you have discussed directly with me – and offered, as a political trade-off, an allegedly more influential portfolio for France in the future College,’ Breton wrote. ‘… in light of these developments – further testimony to questionable governance – I have concluded that I can no longer exercise my duties in the College…’

“Breton’s shock exit deals a new blow to von der Leyen’s ongoing efforts to build her new College of Commissioners, a delicate undertaking that requires balancing considerations on gender, geography and party politics. The presentation of her new team has already been delayed due to a political fight in Slovenia, where the conservative opposition has contested the appointment of Marta Kos as the country’s Commissioner-designate…

“Still, the magnitude of Breton’s departure cannot be understated: the Frenchman had acquired a strong profile in Brussels after playing a key role in the bloc’s production of COVID-19 vaccines, the industrial ramp-up to provide Ukraine with more military support and, most notably, the regulatory push to rein in the excesses of Big Tech and AI.

“But he had also become a divisive character in the city. His letter to Elon Musk in August ahead of the billionaire’s interview with Donald Trump was decried as an assault against freedom of expression and a blatant case of power overreach…”

“British Army Stockpiles Depleted Amid £7,600,000,000 of Military Aid Sent to Ukraine”

MSN wrote on September 16:

“Military aid to Ukraine has left gaps in the UK armed forces’ capabilities. The UK has sent Challenger 2 tanks, millions of rounds of ammunition, and hundreds of boat and land vehicles to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

“It’s made a difference, with all of the Challengers donated last summer being deployed on the frontlines against Russia’s Soviet-built tanks.”

And Now Australia… Censoring Free Speech

Rebel News wrote on September 12:

“Elon Musk has slammed the Australian government, labelling them ‘fascists’ in response to proposed legislation to combat what it sees as misinformation on social media platforms. Musk, who owns X (formerly Twitter), made the blunt comment in reaction to a post outlining the new laws, which could fine social media companies up to 5 per cent of their annual revenue… The highly controversial proposed laws… will give the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) unprecedented powers to control online in the name of cracking down on misinformation.

“ACMA could fine platforms and even approve an industry code of conduct to address the issue if self-regulation fails. However, critics argue that these laws could severely limit free speech. John Storey from the Institute of Public Affairs described it as ‘the biggest attack on freedom of speech in peacetime Australia,’ warning that it could capture ‘any difference of opinion.’”

It’s happening all over the so-called “free” world.

Second Assassination Attempt on Trump

NBC News wrote on September 15:

“One [sniper] is in custody after shots were fired Sunday in what the FBI is calling an apparent second ‘attempted assassination’ of former President Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. An AR-style [Ak-47] rifle was recovered from the scene, law enforcement officials told NBC News. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, was ‘safe’ after the incident…

“A representative for the Secret Service said at the news conference that it wasn’t clear whether the suspect ‘was able to take a shot at our agents’ before the agents shot at the suspect… The Secret Service spokesperson… said the suspect… was an estimated 400 to 500 yards away from Trump…”

The New York Post reported that the arrested sniper is a long-time Democrat from Hawaii. “The alleged shooter mounted a GoPro on the fence and was ‘intent on filming’ what would have been the murder of a former president, officials said… [He] was previously convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction… [He] was also arrested over two decades ago following a three-hour standoff…”

We are living in dangerous times, because Satan the Devil is very angry. We ALL need God’s protection.

Reckless Rhetoric to Blame for Second Trump Assassination Attempt

On September 15, 2024, the New York Post published the following article by Miranda Devine:

“It’s a frightening development that highlights the recklessness of the hateful rhetoric constantly aimed at Trump by his political opponents, even after he was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania in July. Last week, Kamala Harris falsely accused Trump of calling Nazis ‘fine people,’ promising a ‘bloodbath,’ and being responsible for ‘the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.’ She and Joe Biden and their surrogates constantly exaggerate the J6 Capitol riot and use it to frame Trump as a ‘threat to democracy.’

“Biden has labeled Trump and ‘MAGA Republicans’ as ‘semi-fascists’ and domestic terrorists. Tim Walz called Trump a ‘fascist’ and a ‘threat to Democracy’ who will ‘put people’s lives in danger.’ On Saturday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) described Trump as ‘a candidate explicitly running on the promise of political violence.’ In Orwellian fashion, they accuse Trump and his supporters of stoking violence, when the evidence is almost all the other way… What will it take for these demented partisans to lower the temperature?”

Devine has a point. Also note the next article.

Media Ite wrote on September 16:

“Former President Donald Trump directly blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for a gunman targeting him at his West Palm Beach golf club on Sunday… [Trump] claimed the gunman was motivated by the top Democrats’ ‘highly inflammatory language.’ ‘He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,’ Trump said, claiming, ‘Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out’

“Trump pointed to Biden and Harris’ past comments casting Trump as a ‘threat to democracy,’ while telling Americans they are ‘unity’ leaders… ‘It is called the enemy from within. They are the real threat,’ Trump added…” 

Abhorrent Security Failures… and Unintended Consequences

On September 16, The Sun published the following article by Piers Morgan:

“How could this have happened again…? I would have assumed that after the catastrophic security failure in July, when that shooter was able to lie on a roof 150 yards from a Trump rally stage, the Secret Service would have made… sure nobody could get that close to their protectee again. I was sadly, shockingly wrong… please spare me any applause for the Secret Service.

“The fact this shooter could get that close was another abject security failure of horrifying proportions, and even more inexplicable and disgraceful coming so soon after the last one. Why wasn’t the whole perimeter of the course being monitored? The answer is staggering… Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Trump would be receiving more security if he was still in office… Have you ever heard anything so dumb?…

“The agency is self-evidently failing… And I dread to think what would happen to America if Trump ever does get assassinated… As for the political repercussions of this latest assassination attempt, it can only be a massive boost to Trump, as the last one was. Once again, he showed immense calm in a life-threatening crisis, with witnesses saying his main concern was to make sure others on the course with him at the time were OK…  Love him or hate him, Trump has shown balls of steel over these threats to his life, and that won’t be lost on an American public who like their commanders-in-chief to be strong.

“The latest incident has also completely supplanted a news cycle that was being dominated by very negative fallout over his debate loss last week to Democratic rival Kamala Harris… There’s an incredible irony that right when he was enduring the worst week of his presidential race, Trump has been handed an election-winning lifeline by another attempt on his life.”

Melania Trump: Beware of the FBI

Newsmax wrote on September 15:

“Former first lady Melania Trump issued a warning to all Americans that the Biden-Harris administration’s FBI could threaten their Fourth Amendment rights that protect against unreasonable searches and seizures. Trump used X on Saturday to post a video reminding users of the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. ‘I never imagined my privacy would be invaded by the government here, in America,’ the former first lady said in the video. ‘The FBI invaded my home in Florida, and searched through my personal belongings. This is not just my story. It serves as a warning to all Americans, a reminder that our freedom and rights must be respected.’…

“In another X post earlier this week, Melania Trump fanned the flames of conspiracy surrounding the [first] assassination attempt on her husband, saying efforts need to be made to ‘uncover the truth.’ ‘The attempt to end my husband’s life was a horrible, distressing experience,’ she said of the incident in July in Butler, Pennsylvania. ‘Now, the silence around it feels heavy. I can’t help but wonder: Why didn’t law enforcement officials arrest the shooter before the speech? There’s definitely more to this story, and we need to uncover the truth.’”

We would agree with Melania Trump on both counts, especially in light of the second assassination attempt on her husband. Important questions are not being addressed or discussed..

Clearly Biased ABC Moderators

Breitbart wrote on September 15:

“ABC News’ Linsey Davis, one of two moderators for last week’s presidential debate, admitted to the Los Angeles Times that the plan was only to fact-check former President Donald Trump, and not Vice President Kamala Harris… Davis and co-moderator David Muir fact-checked Trump seven times — often incorrectly — while never fact-checking Harris once, even when she used hoaxes, such as the Charlottesville ‘very fine people’ hoax.

“Davis told the Times that ABC had deliberately targeted Trump — and only Trump — because of perceptions that he had been allowed to get away with false statements in the CNN debate against President Joe Biden in late June…. Davis admitted that the moderators studied past statements… but somehow did not prepare to check Harris’s repeated use of hoaxes…”

This is appalling! But no surprise! That is how politics is being made.

ABC News Must Correct False Claim Regarding Abortion

Fox News wrote on September 12:

“A prominent pro-life group isn’t happy with ABC News over its hosting of Tuesday’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump.  Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America on Wednesday sent a letter to ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic and debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis that urges them to issue a correction and meet with abortion survivors over a viral moment where Davis fact-checked Trump.

“‘[The] ABC News Presidential Debate featured network moderator Linsey Davis attempting to debunk former President Trump’s assertion that some states allow for the killing of an infant after birth,’ Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America president Marjorie Dannenfelser wrote in the letter…  

“During the debate, Trump referred to infamous comments made by former Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam in 2019 but was promptly ‘fact-checked’ by Davis. At the time, Northam suggested that in those rare instances of third-trimester abortions, a baby could be born alive… ‘The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother,’ Northam said in 2019.

“Trump’s apparent reference to Northam at the debate drew a quick rebuke from Davis. ‘There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born,’ Davis said. 

“Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America claims the ABC moderator was ‘inaccurate’ and should correct the record. ‘This is 100% inaccurate. Her statement tragically ignores the reality of babies who survive failed, late-term abortions but are denied basic medical care and left to die,’ Dannenfelser wrote. ‘We are writing to request a swift correction from Ms. Davis and ABC News. It is undeniable that babies are born in this country after failed abortions…’ ‘It’s also a fact that, as a U.S. senator, Kamala Harris voted against protections for babies born alive after failed abortions. And as a member of Congress, her running mate Tim Walz even issued a public apology for ‘accidentally’ voting for said legislation after he previously voted against it,’ Dannenfelser wrote.”

The conduct of the two ABC moderators was appalling. And don’t hold your breath if you expect that they or ABC News will correct their false assertions.

Eating Pets in Ohio?

The Associated Press wrote on September 15:

“Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance did not back away on Sunday from the… claims he and Donald Trump have been making that Haitians in an Ohio community are abducting and eating pets, even as the state’s GOP governor and other officials insist there is no evidence of such behavior.

“Vance, an Ohio senator, said constituents in Springfield are bringing concerns to him and that at least 10 were ‘verifiable.’ In a series of news show interviews, he said he was amplifying the claims as a way to draw attention to Democrat Kamala Harris’ immigration policies, which he said are lax, while adding, ‘Everybody who has dealt with a large influx of migration knows that sometimes there are cultural practices that seem very far out there to a lot of Americans.’”

Vance only states the obvious. Please view our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “The Biggest Loser in the Trump/Harris Debate.” 

Pope Francis Recommends Voting for the Lesser Evil

LifeSiteNews wrote on September 13:

“Pope Francis has weighed in on the U.S. presidential race by claiming that he doesn’t know whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is the worse candidate because opposing migration and supporting abortion are both ‘anti-life.’ ‘Sending migrants away, not giving migrants [the] ability to work, not giving migrants [a] welcome is a sin, it’s serious,’ Francis said… At the same time, Francis said, ‘sending a baby away from its mother’s breast is murder, because there is life.’ The Church ‘does not allow abortion because it is killing,’ he added…”

At the same time, the Catholic church does allow killing in a “righteous war,” even though that is killing too. And is it a sin to not allow murderers and rapists into our country?

The Daily Mail wrote on September 13:

“Pope Francis on Friday slammed both U.S. presidential candidates for what he called anti-life policies on abortion and migration and advised American Catholics to choose the ‘lesser evil’ in the upcoming U.S. elections…

“Francis said migration is a right described in Scripture, and that anyone who does not follow the Biblical call to welcome the stranger is committing a ‘grave sin.’ He was also blunt in speaking about abortion… ‘One should voteand choose the lesser evil,’ he said. ‘Who is the lesser evil, the woman or man? I don´t know,’ he said. ‘Everyone in their conscience should think and do it.’

“It´s not the first time Francis has weighed in on a U.S. election. In the run-up to the 2016 election, Francis was asked about Trump´s plan to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexican border. Francis declared then that anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants ‘is not Christian.’…”

Where does it say in the Bible that migration is a right and the violation of that right is a sin? Also, the argument to fulfill one’s “civil duty” to vote for the lesser evil ignores willfully the fact that one would still vote for an evil—something a Christian is prohibited to do in God’s Word.

Francis’ Blasphemous Comments

LifesiteNews wrote on September 13:

“The Holy See Press Office has released a misleading English translation of Pope Francis’ controversial comments about all religions leading to God, as criticism of Francis’ words continues to grow. Addressing an inter-religious group of young people in Singapore on September 13, Pope Francis drew heavily on the nation’s multi-religious nature: ‘Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. And how is God God for all? We are all sons and daughters of God. But my god is more important than your god, is that true? There is only one God and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.’

“However, the Holy See Press Office has published a markedly different and misleading translation of the papal comments in the English transcript of his meeting. The Vatican’s official English version reads: ‘Religions are seen as paths trying to reach God.’ The difference is notable, and the online transcript of Francis’ remarks appear as far less controversial or problematic than his actual remarks.”

The pope’s statements are in clear violation of the First Commandment.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

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How do you view paganism today, and exactly what is it? (Part 2)

In the first part of this series, we looked at paganism in its many forms in the UK and the USA.  Different websites gave us a brief but clear picture of the growth of this phenomenon in these two major nationswhich are revealed in our free booklet The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

theconversation.com reports that “Nature religions, commonly described as Paganism (or neo-Paganism), are growing in Australia. In the last Census, 33,148 people claimed affiliation with a nature religion: including Animism, Druidism, and the many traditions of Wicca, the most practised Pagan pathway.”

ca.paganfederation.org reports as follows: “With almost half a century of experience, the Pagan Federation (PF) started in England and shortly thereafter sowed the seeds for its sister organization: the Pagan Federation International (PFI), to respond to the needs of Pagans who did not reside in England. Now PFI has local branches all over the world: including Asia, South America, Australia, United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, The Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Belgium and of course Canada and the USA, and this list only continues to grow!“

This same website also states that in “Canada, we are always interested in talking with members to start pub moots, coffee cauldrons, festivals or events that promote paganism in a positive, informative and healthy manner.”

It has been said that “Paganism is not dogmatic. Pagans pursue their own vision of the Divine as a direct and personal experience.”

Let us review Deuteronomy 18:10-12 where we find a list of many wrong spiritual practices. This passage provides us with clear instructions to avoid wrong and ungodly practices and maintain the right Way that God teaches us to live:

“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.”

In these three verses, we read about passing through fire, witchcraft, soothsayer, interpreting omens, sorcerer, conjuring up spells, a medium, spiritist, calling up the dead. Quite a list of things that God calls abominations! Those who are pagans and belong to the organisations mentioned previously will not care one iota about what God says.

And what is the outcome of such rebellion against God’s Word in today’s world? We know that Satan is the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air (compare 2 Corinthians 4:4 and Ephesians 2:2). He influences mankind to believe that they themselves can make decisions about right and wrong without the necessity of having the great Creator God giving us guidelines to follow in the true worship of Him.  He did this in the Garden of Eden.

We continually see anti-Godly behaviour in society around the world, and Isaiah 5:20 sums this up perfectly: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” For about 6,000 years, man has followed the way that he thinks best and has lost the ability, it would seem, to make sound judgments. History clearly reveals that man has lost his way because he has not been exposed to, understood or seen the right Way of Life to live which is always in his own best interests when God is involved. For more information on this, please see our free booklet Obeying God Rather Than Men,” and our Q&A, “Who determines what is right and wrong?” 

Looking at Deuteronomy 18:10-12, christianpublishinghouse.co states that “this is a critical passage in the Old Testament, providing explicit directives against various forms of occult practices. This scriptural segment… serves not only as a legal prescription for Israel but also as a moral and spiritual guideline for God’s people. The passage is often interpreted as encompassing a range of occult practices, warning against the spiritual dangers associated with such activities.”

Of course, these are not just “moral or spiritual guidelines”—they are commandments to be followed.

And so, let us review each one of these wrong practices that are highlighted in Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

Verse 10 says: “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire.”

The Margin of the New King James Bible says: “Be burned as an offering to an idol.”

Clarke’s Commentary has this to say: “Leviticus also states: ‘And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD’ (Leviticus 18:21).

“The fire-god Molech was the… deity of the children of Ammon, and essentially identical with the Moabitish Chemosh. Unger’s Bible Dictionary has this to say about Molech: ‘A Semitic deity honoured by the sacrifice of children, in which they were caused to pass through or into the fire.  Palestinian excavations have uncovered evidences of infant skeletons in burial places around heathen shrines.  Ammonites revered Molech as a protecting father.   Worship of Molech was stringently prohibited by Hebrew law’ (Leviticus 18:21; 20:1-5).”

While it is not exactly the same, similar killings of sons and daughters today can be found in the killing of unborn children through abortion.  The end product is precisely the same.

Verse 10 continues: “(There shall not be found among you) one who practices witchcraft.”

What is witchcraft?  Wikipedia gives this definition: “Witchcraft, as most commonly understood in both historical and present-day communities, is the use of alleged supernatural powers of magic.  A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft. Traditionally, ‘witchcraft’ means the use of magic or supernatural powers to inflict harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. Also, Magic is an ancient practice rooted in rituals, spiritual divinations, and/or cultural lineage—with an intention to invoke, manipulate, or otherwise manifest supernatural forces, beings, or entities in the natural world.”  

Verse 10 adds: “(There shall not be found among you to be) a soothsayer.”

Unger’s Bible Dictionary has this to say about a soothsayer: “The soothsayer (diviner) was the pagan counterpart of the prophet, prognosticating future events, or professing to do so by various arts.” They then quote Joshua 13:22 which reads “The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them.” Continuing with Unger’s: “Actually, diviners were energized by evil powers, as the prophet of the Lord was under the control of the Holy Spirit.”

Verse 10 continues: “(There shall not be found among you) one who interprets omens.”

In Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:10-14, we read the following:

“Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, [etc.] are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers.”

Verse 10 adds: “(There shall not be found among you to be) a sorcerer.”

We will quote again from Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “Sorcery (Heb. from kashap, ‘to whisper’; Gk. mageia, Acts 8:11; pharmakeia, ‘medication’). A sorcerer was one who prophesied to tell the lot of others, to have power with evil spirits (Isa 7:9,12, Dan 2:2) and was severely denounced (Mal 3:5; Rev 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15). This art was also practiced in connection with pharmacy, the mixing of drugs and medical compounds.

“The term sorcerer (Ex 7:11; Jer 27:9, etc), from the Lat. sors, ‘a lot,’ ‘one who throws or declares a lot,’ would assign it initially the more circumscribed sphere of augural prognostication.   But the term as commonly employed, includes one who practices in the whole field of divinatory occultism.   Sorcery is the practice of the occult arts under the power of evil spirits, or demons, and has been common in all ages of world history.”

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Recent Unbiblical Comments by Pope Francis,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Recently, the Pope made several controversial comments which were all unbiblical and dangerous, if we were to believe and follow them. He addressed the US presidential race, in focusing on migration and abortion, and he spoke on the way to salvation. Why were all his statements misleading and wrong, and what does the Bible say about them?

“Kürzliche unbiblische Kommentare des Papstes,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

Our new booklet, “Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen,” has been sent to our subscribers. If you did not get a copy, please contact us.

“Der Wert unserer Zeit,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Andreas Raetz, is now posted. Title in English: “The Value of Our Time.”

“How Do We Ask?”, last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

In the family setting, we learn early how to ask for something. Asking God for what we seek is a very important part of our relationship with Him—how do we ask?

“Yesterday, Today, and Forever,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Even though the Bible clearly proves that Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament, most nominal Christians today have no idea. However, this fact has great personal meaning to us, in that the same One who performed the miracles recorded in the Bible lives within us today through His Holy Spirit.

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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 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

How Do We Ask? / Yesterday, Today, and Forever

On September 14, 2024, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “How Do We Ask?” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Yesterday, Today, and Forever.”

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

The Trump-Harris Debate: Three Against One

The New York Post Editorial Board wrote on September 11:

“Donald Trump got to Kamala Harris’ core problem in his debate close, waving off all her promises about what she’d do in office: ‘Why hasn’t she done it already?’ Hard to think of a better riposte… Harris had a pretty smooth night: She did her homework for once, including prepping lines guaranteed to get under Trump’s skin — some of which plainly did put him off-balance.

“And of course she had backup from the moderators, ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis — who targeted far more questions at Trump than at Harris, and all of their ‘fact-checking.’ Worse: Whenever she started to babble in trying to defend her own record, they rescued her by changing the subject. And by changing it again whenever Trump was truly on a roll…

“Trump was erratic — notably taking her bait when she claimed people walked out of his rallies and when she fictionalized his remarkable business success… [Harris] needs to take more risks, and on less friendly ground, or she’s still headed for defeat.”

This was to be expected… that is why Harris refused to have a debate with Trump moderated by Fox News.

The Rigged Debate

The New York Post added on September 11:

“When Trump argued that crime in the US is increasing because of migrants allowed into the country on Harris’ watch, ‘World News Tonight’ anchor David Muir interjected: ‘President Trump, as you know, the FBI says overall violent crime is actually coming down.’ Trump fired back with his own fact check that ‘they didn’t include the cities with the worst crime,’ referencing the omission of data from Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago…

“At another point, ‘World News Tonight Sunday’ host Linsey Davis intervened after Trump made reference to former Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s 2019 remarks about aborting babies after birth… ‘There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born,’ stated Davis after Trump concluded, drawing howls from conservatives who noted that six states and the District of Columbia currently do not place any limits on the procedure…

“Trump allies and Republican commentators were left fuming and compiling a long list of missed opportunities for Muir and Davis to rebuke Harris… ‘David Muir is out of control,’ tweeted Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton, writing, ‘It isn’t ‘fact-checking,’ it is attacking.’ Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted, ‘ABC News has refused to “fact-check” Kamala Harris on lying about Trump’s positions on: – Project 2025 – Charlottesville comments – ‘Bloodbath’ comments – IVF.’”

For the moderators to state that violent crime is down in the USA is ludicrous, and to falsely claim that no state allows killing a baby after birth is appalling and unjustifiable. Those moderators need to go.

Breitbart wrote on September 11:

“Vice President Kamala Harris issued a slew of false claims and hoaxes that ABC debate moderators did not fact check during Tuesday’s debate against former President Donald Trump.” Breitbart then listed “and rebutted 21 false claims and hoaxes that Harris uttered on live television, in front of millions of Americans.” https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/09/10/21-kamala-harris-false-claims-hoaxes-that-debate-moderators-did-not-fact-check/

Fox News wrote on September 11:

“The biggest loser in the… presidential debate… was ABC News… The moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, embarrassed themselves and their network by, among other things, fact-checking Trump in real time on more than one occasion – sometimes incorrectly – while allowing Harris to spout serial lies and distortions. .. Trump, on the other hand, failed to prosecute his case. While Harris appeared over-prepared and practiced, with ready-to-go gestures and studied mannerisms, Trump was clearly under-prepared. It is frustrating to his supporters, because he has the facts on his side…. But instead of forcefully arguing about his successes, he meandered. And, he forgot to smile.”

Trump did not do too well, as even conservative commentators acknowledged:

“Let’s make no mistake. Trump had a bad night,” Fox News host Brit Hume said. “We just heard so many of the old grievances that we all know aren’t winners politically.”

Trump lost the debate, and whining about the moderators doesn’t change it,” conservative radio host Erick Erickson wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said afterward that the former president’s debate team should be fired and that Trump was unprepared, calling the debate a “disaster.” 

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 11:

“… the consensus among pundits and pollsters appears to be that Harris narrowly won the night. But whether this makes a difference in the election, just under two months away, is less clear.”

The liberal left-wing media went over the top again, as can be expected. The Drudge Report wrote: “The Night Trump Lost it all… The Worst Performance of his Career.”

Trump Falls For Harris’ Provocations

Die Welt wrote on September 11:

“What impression did Harris leave? A surprisingly good one… Above all, she didn’t let Trump bother her at all. Unlike in the past, she did not resort to making condescending gestures or comments towards Trump. However, her lecture repeatedly had a tiring pastoral quality.

“What impression did Trump make? He performed poorly compared to the disciplined and concise Harris. Even arch-Trump fans like a Fox host said Trump had ‘missed some opportunities.’

“Initially, Trump was good at countering Harris’ attacks. On several occasions he did not answer questions from ABC journalists, but instead responded directly to an attack from Harris. Sometimes Trump scored a direct hit, for example when Harris tried to interrupt him… But Harris increasingly succeeded in irritating Trump. For example, when she claimed that his campaign appearances were boring and that people were leaving early in droves. Instead of shrugging off the comment, Trump went on a tirade that his rallies are ‘the biggest in history because people want their country back.’

Can this duel decide the election? Absolutely not. Harris may have been able to win over voters tonight. But the race is so close that a single evening of television probably won’t give the Democrats the large number of undecided votes they need to win the election. The TV duel was therefore a stage victory for Harris. But nothing more.”

Bild Online wrote on September 11:

“Kamala Harris’s tactics worked in the first presidential debate last night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She skillfully infuriated Donald Trump and stayed cool herself… Trump provided her with plenty of templates. Especially when it came to immigration, actually a possible winning issue for the Republican, Harris hit a sore spot: Trump’s vanity. ‘I invite you to go to one of Donald Trump’s events,’ she said to the millions of TV viewers… ‘You’ll notice that people leave his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.’ Sentences which were practiced before and which were the core of her tactics. The ex-president’s eyes first narrowed, then anger flared up. Trump took Harris’ bait and chose to talk about his events instead of migration…’

“The Democrats were euphoric after the debate. Trump’s Republicans practiced damage control. BUT: Hillary Clinton also clearly won her first debate against Trump in 2016…”

Immigrants Eat Pets?

The Daily Mail wrote on September 11:

“One of the stranger moments of last night’s fiery presidential debate… came when the former president ranted about Haitian migrants ‘eating pets’ in Springfield, Ohio… The claims, dismissed during the debate by the Vice President as ‘unbelievable and extreme’, have electrified the American political debate. 

“While city officials and law enforcement officers in Springfield say there have been no credible reports to suggest they are true, some fed-up residents maintain that it’s a problem… One aggrieved man made the claim during a city commission meeting last month to address the influx of legal Haitian immigrants – which has revitalized the local economy, but also sparked controversy among locals. ‘I really challenge you guys to get out here and do something,’ he told the meeting. ‘These Haitians are running into trash cans, running into buildings, they’re flipping cars in the middle of the streets. ‘They’re in the park, grabbing up ducks by their neck, and cutting their head off and walking off with them. They’re eating them.’…

“During last night’s debate, ABC’s David Muir told Trump there had been no credible reports of pets being stolen and eaten. Trump shot back to say he did not necessarily believe what city officials were saying

“[A Facebook] post combined a screenshot of an earlier Facebook post from a Springfield community group, in which one user made an alarming claim that cats and dogs were being strung up to eat by Haitian migrants, with an image of an unidentified man carrying what appeared to be the corpses of two geese.  The Facebook post read: ‘My neighbor informed me that her daughter’s friend had lost her cat… One day she came home from work, as soon as she stepped out of her car, looked towards a neighbor’s house, where Haitians live & saw her cat hanging from a branch, like you’d do a deer for butchering, & they were carving it up to eat. I’ve been told they are doing this to dogs, they have been doing it at Snyder Park with the ducks & geese.’

“The unsubstantiated story, when paired with the image of an unidentified man, spread like wildfire across X, garnering millions upon millions of views.  Its influence was confirmed when Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance amplified the narrative about ‘Haitian illegal immigrants’ in a September 9 post on X that said: ‘Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.’ The VP hopeful later walked back his claims in a following post, writing: ‘It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false.’…

“Vance was by no means the only prominent Republican shared posts parroting the narrative on migrants eating pets and Springfield wildlife. Among them was Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who posted a photo of kittens with a caption that said to vote for Trump ‘So Haitian immigrants don’t eat us.’…”

However, usually, where there is smoke, there might be fire.

Kamala Harris the Next President? A Frightening Scenario!

Daily Mail published the following article on September 9 by Charlie Spiering, which was written BEFORE the debate:

“As a seasoned political journalist and author of Amateur Hour: Kamala Harris In The White House – a comprehensive investigation into how this eccentric San ­Francisco attorney was fast-tracked to becoming potentially the next leader of the free world – I find the lack of scrutiny applied to this ­shallow and desperate political ­figure to be maddening. Since winning the nomination, ‘Calamity Kamala’… did nothing to enhance her authority. Senior Democrats in Washington tell me that her ­campaign is increasingly riven and dysfunctional.

“In my opinion she combines naked political ambition with an instinctive cunning, a lack of scruples and a willingness to jump on every fashionable bandwagon… It is genuinely alarming that with the world in turmoil, from war in Ukraine to escalating conflict in the Middle East, this comparative ­novice could soon be in power…. The West is confronted by an array of tyrants and terrorists, but our destiny could be imminently in the hands of an amateur...

“Harris’s parents divorced when she was seven and she was largely raised by her Hindu mother, with her Jamaican-born father ­working as a senior professor at Stanford University. This mixed-race upbringing has been useful for her career amid the American Left’s fanatical embrace of identity politics

“By rights, the presidency should be a step too far for a candidate of her ­calibre.  But there is no predicting the American electorate – and I fear the prospect of this individual becoming president is all too likely – and all too terrifying.”

Sentence Delayed in Trump’s “Total Fraud” Case

Newsmax wrote on September 8:

New York Judge Juan Merchan decided to delay former President Donald Trump’s sentencing on his New York business records convictions until after the election to allow himself more flexibility in sentencing the GOP nominee, Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law professor emeritus, told Newsmax Sunday… ‘I think he’s going to say this conviction warrants imprisonment… Of course it doesn’t. It warrants nothing, but I think that’s what he’s going to do or give him a probationary sentence and home confinement.’…

“Dershowitz argued that the case against Trump is a ‘total fraud’ and the judge and prosecutors should be ‘disciplined’ for bringing the case to court… ‘ I am probably the most experienced criminal lawyer in this country with 60 years of teaching, practicing, and writing about criminal law. I don’t understand the charges.’… Dershowitz said Sunday that the charges would be misdemeanors that would be barred by the statute of limitations, but ‘they magically tried to turn it into a felony.’ ‘It’s the most absurd criminal charge I’ve seen in my 60 years of being an expert in criminal law,’ said Dershowitz. ‘And if I can’t figure it out, how do you expect the defendant, a nonlawyer like Donald Trump, to understand that?…it’s an outrage to every American.’”

Can Germany’s Far-Right Win Across the Country?

The Week UK wrote on September 7:

“A startling AfD triumph in eastern Germany’s regional elections lays bare the fragility of the country’s mismatched coalition government. A far-right party has won a regional election in Germany for the first time since the Second World War. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party took 32.8% of the vote in the poll in the eastern state of Thuringia on Sunday, giving it a clear win over the conservative CDU, which came second with 23.6%. In neighbouring Saxony, the CDU defeated the AfD by just 31.9% to 30.6%.

“Björn Höcke, the AfD leader in Thuringia… hailed the victory as ‘historic’ and warned rival parties against excluding it from any coalition deals in the regional parliament. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose SPD party was trounced in both states, urged other parties to govern without the AfD, which he accused of ‘ruining our country’s reputation’… [Even though it is Scholz and his incompetent bickering government who have been completely running the country’s reputation.]

“The results have ‘sent shockwaves of fear and despair across Europe’. It was especially humiliating for Scholz, says the Times.  His governing coalition has proved ‘one of the weakest in the Federal Republic’s history’ [probably THE weakest] and all three of the mismatched parties within it fared badly. The results prompted Scholz to hold urgent talks with other party leaders on how to form state governments without the AfD – and even on ‘how to hold together his fractious coalition’.

“A former history teacher, [Höcke] has criticised Germany for dwelling on the crimes of the Holocaust; he seems to model his rhetoric on Hitler’s; his young supporters call themselves the ‘Höcke Youth’, an echo of the Hitler Youth; and members of his own party have tried to expel him for being too extreme. Yet none of that deterred voters in Thuringia, who have gifted him an extraordinary personal triumph… the AfD’s tough message on migration, and its calls to end the war in Ukraine, appealed to voters anxious about rising energy prices, and about Germany’s ailing economy.

“Scholz has tried to combat the AfD by echoing its hardline rhetoric… in the wake of the Solingen terror attack, he proposed tightening border controls and stepped up deportations of asylum seekers. But that strategy isn’t working. Why? Because voters in places such as Thuringia are frustrated about more than migration and war, said… Der Spiegel. When roads and bridges are dilapidated and ‘every train ride is a lottery’, a feeling takes hold that ‘nothing works anymore’, and that nobody in Berlin cares. It’s this sense of hopelessness that mainstream parties must address if they are to halt the AfD’s rise.”

Germany is more than ready for a new government. However, nobody seems to be on the horizon who could substantially change the dire situation. But that person LIVES, and will manifest himself in due time.

Germany Now Greece’s Most Important Economic Partner

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 7:

“Germany is the ‘honored country’ at this year’s Thessaloniki International Fair, which kicks off this Saturday in Greece’s second city. Not so long ago, this would have been unthinkable. At the peak of Greece’s sovereign debt crisis in 2014 and 2015, Greece teetered on the brink of leaving the eurozone currency union… Banks were nationalized, companies folded and [many] Greeks blamed the austerity measures, which they felt had been dictated by Berlin… A decade later and much has changed in the economic relations between these two EU members.

“In February 2024, Deutsche Bank reported that Greece had made an ‘astonishing economic comeback’…  The modernization of 14 regional airports by Fraport Greece, a subsidiary of the German airport operator Fraport AG, is seen as one of the country’s model investment projects… the Fraport investment was a success, specifically because the Germans invested in smaller airports, thereby attracting even more visitors to Greece… Despite all the tension between the two countries during the Greek sovereign debt crisis, Germany is now Greece’s most important economic partner and a major market for Greek exports.

“And it works both ways: Products that are ‘Made in Germany’ are in great demand in Greece. Indeed, when it comes to imports, Germany is still right at the top of Greece’s list.”

The improved relationship between Germany and Greece is remarkable, as according to the Bible, the two countries will cooperate and work together in the future… much to the detriment of the Jewish people.

More Dictatorial Measures in Germany?

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 8:

“Interior Minister Nancy Faeser’s proposal is reminiscent of a method practiced by the ‘the Stasi,’ the Ministry for State Security of the former communist East Germany, whose secret police infiltrated the homes of suspected regime opponents in order to tap their phones… Now… Faeser wants to empower investigators to use the method once again. However,… the German parliament must first give its approval. The Interior Minister is proposing to allow the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) to enter terrorism suspects’ homes in order to install spy software on their smartphones and computers...

“It is unlikely that the neoliberal… FDP… will agree to government-authorized secret home break-ins, as defending citizens’ rights is at the heart of the party’s trademark… At the moment, German security authorities are allowed to tap suspicious persons’ electronic devices without breaking into their homes, under certain circumstances — using remote forensic software to obtain data from suspects’ devices without them noticing. German police have been allowed to use this method to monitor suspects’ homes as part of ‘online searches’ since 2017. However, every single such action must first be approved by a court — or in especially urgent cases, by a public prosecutor’s office

“But online searches have always been controversial. One 2008 Federal Constitutional Court ruling was considered groundbreaking, which stated that online searches are only permitted if human life or the state itself is at risk.

“So covert searches are supposed to be an absolute exception when fighting crime in Germany. Open raids on homes, on the other hand, are a normal part of everyday police work. They, too, can only be carried out on the order of a court or a public prosecutor’s office [However, judging by Faeser’s recent deplorable conduct, such orders seem to be easily obtainable.] As a rule, searches are undertaken in the suspect’s presence.

“Some raids make news headlines. A recent example of this was when the home of the head of the German… Comcast magazine… was searched  to secure evidence. The magazine had been banned by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in July 2024. But then the Federal Administrative Court allowed Elsässer to continue publishing because the court had doubts about the proportionality of the ban, on whether it impinges on freedom of the press and freedom of opinion.

“Despite the partial victory for magazine publisher Elsässer, his house could still be ‘secretly’ searched — theoretically — because in 2021 Compact was classified as a ‘confirmed right-wing extremist’ publication by Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution [a seemingly phony decision]. That designation authorizes so-called ‘undercover investigations,’ which can include ‘entering a person’s home’ — but only remotely.

“Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP), rejected Faeser’s new proposal on X: ‘There will be no authorization given to secretly snoop in people’s homes. We don’t do that in a constitutional state. That would be an absolute breach of taboo,’ he wrote… He urges proportionality, warning that, ‘If a law allows the state to secretly break into a home to search it, many people will lose their trust in the rule of law.’”

Absolutely! In addition, such governmental actions would not be limited to suspected terrorists and “right-wing extremists.” Everyone would be in danger of governmental despotism. Sadly, it WILL come to that.

Macron’s Dubious Role in the Telegram Affair

Politico wrote on September 7:

“One of the first things Pavel Durov did when he was arrested on Aug. 24 at Paris’ Le Bourget airport was to tell the police he had flown to France to have dinner with President Emmanuel Macron… Macron’s office said the president had been unaware of Durov’s arrival and staying at his vacation home in a northern France beach town when the arrest was made… Much of the speculation about the reasons for Durov’s detention swirled around allegations that France was seeking to censor a platform known for its commitment to privacy…

“Durov’s arrest presents a challenge for France, which faces accusations of seeking to suppress free speech on platforms like Telegram, and for Macron, who has a long-standing relationship with the tech tycoon.  There is growing public speculation about whether Durov’s arrest may have deeper motivations — namely, a possible effort by Western powers to assert control over Telegram

“According to a French security expert who requested anonymity, landing at Le Bourget airport is akin to knocking on the front door and saying, ‘it’s me.’…

“In addition to being both a French and Russian citizen, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, where he resides and operates Telegram, as well as the Caribbean island state of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which grants citizenship in exchange for investment. Both Russia and the United Arab Emirates offered Durov diplomatic assistance — which he declined

“… he does have a relationship with the French president that goes back to the early days of Macron’s presidency when he was going to great lengths to entice global tech leaders to invest in France. As part of that effort, Macron offered Durov French citizenship. ‘We made the decision in 2018 I believe — it is a decision I fully take ownership of,’ Macron said during a trip to Serbia on Aug. 29… Durov was officially granted citizenship in 2021, according to the French official journal.”

Durov’s arrest and “detention” in France is more than suspicious, and Macron’s role in this is certainly very dubious.

Unstable France in Uproar

ABC News wrote on September 7:

“Thousands of protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday, responding to a call from a far-left party leader who criticized as a power grab the president’s appointment of a conservative new prime minister, Michel Barnier. The protests are a direct challenge to President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to bypass a prime minister from the far-left bloc following a deeply dividing legislative election in July. The left, particularly the France Unbowed party, views Barnier’s conservative background as rejecting the electorate’s will, further intensifying the EU’s second economy’s already charged political atmosphere.

“Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), warned that Barnier was ‘under surveillance’ by his party as well…

“Barnier, 73, is the oldest of the 26 prime ministers that have served modern France’s Fifth Republic. He replaces the youngest, Gabriel Attal, who was 34 when he was appointed just eight months ago. Attal was forced to resign after Macron’s centrist government suffered a major defeat in the July snap legislative elections. Macron called the election in the hopes of securing a clear mandate, but it instead produced a hung parliament, leaving the president without a legislative majority and plunging his administration into turmoil.

“Attal was also France’s first openly gay prime minister. French media and some of Macron’s opponents, who immediately criticized Barnier’s appointment, quickly dug up that, when serving in parliament in 1981, the new prime minister had been among 155 lawmakers who voted against a law that decriminalized homosexuality. Though Barnier brings five decades of political experience, his appointment offers no guarantee of resolving the crisis. His challenge is immense: He must form a government that can navigate a fractured National Assembly, where the political spectrum is deeply divided between the far left, far right, and Macron’s weakened centrist bloc. The outcome of the snap poll, far from providing clarity, has only served to destabilize both the country and Macron’s grip on power.

“The president’s decision to turn to Barnier, a seasoned political operator with deep ties to the European Union, is seen as an attempt to bring stability to French politics. And Barnier, who gained prominence as the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has faced daunting tasks before. Critics say Macron, elected on the promise of a break from the old political order, now finds himself battling the instability he once promised to overcome…”

France in Turmoil

AFP wrote on September 8:

“French conservative leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday urged President Emmanuel Macron to hold a referendum on key issues such as immigration, suggesting that giving the French a direct vote might help break the political deadlock… analysts say the country is set for a period of instability, with Barnier’s hold on power seen as fragile and dependent on support from Le Pen’s eurosceptic, anti-immigration National Rally (RN) party, which is the largest party in the new National Assembly.

“More than 100,000 left-wing demonstrators rallied across France on Saturday to protest against his nomination and denounce Macron’s ‘power grab’. Le Pen, who leads RN lawmakers in parliament, has said her party would not be part of the new cabinet… Le Pen also indicated she would watch Barnier’s every move. ‘If, in the coming weeks, the French are once again forgotten or mistreated, we will not hesitate to censure the government,’ she added… The left-wing coalition has also vowed to topple Barnier with a no-confidence motion…”

As the Bible says, France (Reuben) is as unstable as water…

Royal Navy in Utterly Dire State

Daily Mail wrote on September 6:

“The ‘utterly dire’ state of the Royal Navy fleet can be revealed today, with not one of its six attack submarines at seaOnly nine out of 25 warships and attack – as opposed to nuclear – submarines are active or deployed.  The rest of the fleet has racked up a staggering 30 years of missed days at sea as vessels are either broken down, being modified or undergoing trials. The shocking figures, confirmed by Navy sources, emerged as fears intensify over the future of the Armed Forces.

“Despite the threat posed by Russia, instability in the Middle East and the rise of China, the new Government is making defence cuts. Retired Rear Admiral Chris Parry said last night: ‘This situation is utterly dire – we haven’t got enough ships to protect our aircraft carriers and we haven’t got any attack submarines to protect our nuclear deterrent.’ It is understood that shortages of engineers and dry-dock facilities are exacerbating the situation.

“The worst offenders in the naval fleet are assault ship HMS Bulwark and destroyer HMS Daring – which have both been inactive for more than seven years…. Most alarmingly, the shortage of attack submarines has apparently led to US submarines being called on to protect the UK’s ‘bomber’ submarines.”

Great Britain’s “glory days” are long past…

“Trans Madness”

The Sun wrote on September 6:

“DO those who have convinced confused teenagers to change gender, sometimes tearing apart their loving families in the process, never worry about the appalling harm they have done?

“… These kids have been encouraged online or by classmates to believe they were born in the wrong body. Being trans became fashionable on social media.

“Professionals, possessed of the liberal-Left’s arrogant moral certitude, couldn’t wait to steer them towards life-changing decisions about their bodies, ­brainwashing them about their ‘true’ identity while shoving their worried parents out of the way…  Anyone dissenting from all this is instantly branded a ‘transphobe’.”

Such terrible developments in our “civilized” “enlightened” Western societies!

Unparalleled US National Debt

The Daily Hodl wrote on September 7:

“The US national debt has ballooned by over half a trillion dollars in just three months… America’s national debt jumped from $34,635,364,143,328 on June 3rd to $35,319,686,640,609 on September 3rd – a surge of $684,322,497,000. The massive rise is coming just over a month after the US national debt crossed the $35 trillion mark. The US credit rating giant Fitch continues to sound the alarm on the growing debt and deficit… ‘The government has failed to meaningfully tackle large fiscal deficits, the growing debt burden and looming increases in spending associated with an aging population.’

“The rating giant notes that… trust in the US and the dollar may erode if the country continues to rely on debt to fund expenses. Last year, Fitch downgraded the long-term rating for the US from the ‘AAA’ gold standard to ‘AA+,’ citing expected fiscal deterioration over the coming years.”

Such debt is unsustainable, especially because the trust in the USA and the dollar WILL erode.

American Citizen Shot and Killed by Israel

Newsmax wrote on September 6:

“The White House announced it is requesting an investigation after an American woman was shot and killed by Israeli troops… ‘We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones,’ White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement. ‘We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.’

“Eygi had been attending a protest against Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank, according to reports. The Israel Defense Forces said it opened fire ‘toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the force and posed a threat to them.’ ‘The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review,’ the Israel Defense Force said.

“Eygi had dual citizenship with Turkey. Turkey President Recep Erdogan said he condemned ‘barbaric intervention against a civilian protest against the occupation in the West Bank,’ in a statement. Two doctors on the scene said she was shot in the head. ‘We tried to save the American citizen, we tried to revive the heart for several stages, but unfortunately, we did not succeed in restoring the heart to function,’ one of the doctors told the AP. A month ago, American citizen Amado Sison was shot in the leg by Israeli forces, he said, as he tried to flee tear gas and live fire.”

The Associated Press wrote on September 10:

“The Israeli military said it ‘expresses its deepest regret’ after its inquiry ‘found that it is highly likely that [the American/Turkish  protestor] was hit indirectly and unintentionally by (Israeli army) fire which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot.’

“… U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the killing as ‘unprovoked and unjustified’ while speaking Tuesday at a news conference in London….”

The shaky relationship between the USA and Israel will continue to deteriorate. Archenemy Turkey, of course, uses the opportunity to continue its hateful expressions against Israel.

USA Unprepared for World War III

The New York Post wrote on September 6:

“The U.S. is treading on ground not seen since World War II, according to Fox News senior strategic analyst and retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane, who warned that ‘we’re on a pathway’ to a third world war. His comments come amid conflicts in the Middle East and Europe and growing tension in the Pacific, and echoes former President Trump’s warning that the U.S. is ‘heading into World War III territory.’

“Keane told FOX… that a recent congressional commission on the Biden administration’s national defense strategy that he took part in revealed that the threat of another major war is very real. According to the recent commission,… the U.S. faces the ‘most serious’ and ‘most challenging’ threats since 1945, including the potential for a ‘near-term major war.’ It also found that… ‘the U.S. military lacks both the capabilities and the capacity required to be confident it can deter and prevail in combat.’

“Keane pointed out that there was a change in the behavior of U.S. adversaries that occurred between the Biden and Trump administrations. ‘What has fundamentally changed from one administration to the other is Russia, China, Iran and North Korea working together, collaborating, coordinating, and truly helping each other,’ he stressed… Keane reiterated the commission’s conclusion that the U.S. has ‘not seen a period of time like this since World War II’ and warned of what may be to come….”

Ultimately, the trumpet of war will sound in America, and nobody will fight.

All in Favor of IVF?

The New York Post wrote on September 8:

“Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ripped into Sen. JD Vance and former president Donald Trump at a LGBTQ+ advocacy group Saturday, speaking about the importance of fertility treatment access without acknowledging Trump’s recent pledge to make IVF treatments free…  Vance was met with renewed scrutiny early September after reports circulated that he endorsed a Heritage Foundation report that proposed sweeping restrictions to abortions and fertility treatments.

“Access to IVF has been in the news since February when the conservative Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling that would have basically ended access to IVF treatment. Since then, Republicans have been distancing themselves from the decision while Democrats have been using the issue to attack GOP rivals. Last month Trump pledged to expand access to in-vitro fertilization treatment through a combination of both insurance mandates and government funding, even though some conservative supporters oppose the move…

“Walz is viewed as an LGBTQ ally, with Minnesota enacting laws protecting access to gender-affirming health care and abortion, as well as banning conversion therapy.”

Please note our recent StandingWatch program, “What Does God Say About Abortion and IVF?” 

Parent Responsible for Child’s Criminal Conduct?

Fox News wrote on September 6:

“Georgia is one of at least 42 states and Washington, D.C., to have laws allowing parents to be held criminally responsible for their children’s actions… Colin Gray, 54, faces multiple charges over the alleged actions of his son, Colt Gray, 14, who is accused of killing four people and injuring nine others in a shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday. The charges against Colin Gray include four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.

“Authorities said the elder Gray knowingly allowed his son to possess a weapon.

The parental responsibility laws vary from state to state, with some focusing on parental negligence in preventing a child’s access to firearms, while others address broader forms of delinquent behavior…  Georgia’s law allows for parents to face criminal liability if they are found to have contributed to their child’s delinquent behavior through neglect or failure to properly supervise. If a parent in Georgia knowingly allows a child to gain access to firearms or engages in reckless behavior that leads to harm, for example, they can face criminal charges, including involuntary manslaughter or child cruelty.”

Dr. Ben Carlson Appointed as National Faith Chairman by Trump  

Breitbart wrote on September 6:

“Dr. Ben Carson announced that he was ‘honored to serve as the national faith chairman’ for former President Donald Trump and his campaign… Trump added that Carson would ‘work with leaders of the faith community on behalf of the campaign to promote the protection of religious freedom’ in the United States…

“After Trump was elected president in 2016, Carson joined the Trump administration as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)… while serving in this role, Carson was invited by Trump to offer a prayer during the beginning of a cabinet meeting: During his prayer, Carson observed that ‘separation of church and state means that the church does not dominate the state, and it means the state does not dominate the church.’

“Carson has also spoken out against abortion. While speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2019, he spoke about his time working as a neurosurgeon and how he had operated on prematurely born babies, explaining that ‘they can feel’ and ‘can react.’”

On October 29, 2015, The Times of Israel wrote the following about Carson’s faith—an interesting mixture of truth and error:

“When Joe Lieberman became the first observant Jew with a reasonable chance at being president – after Al Gore named him his vice presidential running mate in 2000 – he faced a host of questions about how his Sabbath observance might impact his presidential duties. Now that Ben Carson, a Seventh Day Adventist, has emerged at the top of the polls in the Republican presidential primary, he’s facing similar questions about his religion. So far, Carson’s faith — which, like Judaism, celebrates the Sabbath on Saturday and abjures eating the non-kosher animals listed in the Book of Leviticus — hasn’t been an impediment to his campaign. The neurosurgeon-turned-candidate doesn’t seem to be a Sabbath-observer in the strictest sense: He has held campaign rallies on Saturday and made Saturday stops on book tours. But Carson says he tries to respect the day of rest. ‘Sabbath is still a precious day for us. We go to church as often as we can,’ he [said]. ‘ Even if we’re on the road we treat it as a different day than all the others.’

“While the religion shares some commonalities with Judaism, Adventists believe the second coming of Jesus may be imminent. The Adventist church also focuses on health and wellness, and members are encouraged, but not required, to forgo alcohol, tobacco and meat. Carson is on a mostly vegetarian diet, but he does eat milk and egg products and occasionally chicken… Carson frequently cites his faith as the reason for his policy positions. On taxation, for example, Carson has proposed a tithing system… ‘Now we don’t necessarily have to do it 10 percent, but it’s the principle,’ Carson said in a 2013 speech…

“Like many other Christian candidates, he also cites religion for his opposition to abortion, including in cases of rape or incest (though not if the mother’s life is in jeopardy). ‘All you have to do is go and look up the many stories of people who have led very useful lives who were the result of rape or incest,’ he told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’…

“Carson… suggested in September that he’d have trouble with a Muslim in the White House, saying that any Muslim who became president would have to reject certain tenets of Islam that are incompatible with the presidency… He also believes Jews shouldn’t take offense if someone wishes them a ‘Merry Christmas’ ‘That’s a salutation of greeting, of goodwill. We’ve got to get over this sensitivity.’

“More controversially, Carson suggested in a new book and in interviews in early October that gun control was partially responsible for Hitler’s slaughter of Europe’s Jews, allowing the Nazis to ‘carry out their evil intentions with relatively little resistance.’ His comments came as part of his reaction to the deadly mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., after which Carson argued that better armed citizens, rather than gun control, is the best way to stop such mass killings.

“Several weeks later, Carson defended his comments, saying on ‘Meet the Press,’ ‘I’ve heard from many people in the Jewish community, including rabbis, who said, “You’re spot on. You are exactly right.’”

“Like many devout believers of all faiths, Carson attributes his successes in life to God. ‘There’s no question God sets these things up. My whole life, I feel, has been orchestrated by him,’ Carson said in 2013. ‘We always have to remember that no matter what’s going on, no matter how much of a spotlight we have, that all of that comes from God and everything we do should reflect glory on his name.’”

Can you determine for yourself from the Bible where Carlson is right… and where he is wrong?

Europe Without US Help?

Sky News wrote on September 6:

“Polls indicate the race for the White House has become much closer since the decision by current incumbent Joe Biden to drop out, but there remains a very real prospect that Donald Trump could win a second term as US president. Such an eventuality would have repercussions way beyond American soil, with analysts suggesting it could be pivotal for the war in Ukraine… [Experts also say] a Trump victory may leave Europe ‘in a tight spot’ – and urged leaders in the continent to begin planning for that result…

“[It was pointed] out that Trump has warned that he would immediately cut all US aid to Kyiv [he later said he would grant Ukraine money in form of repayable loansand demand a quick end to the war, which would likely require Ukraine to cede a significant part of its territory to Russia… Trump has long questioned the value of NATO, so it is not inconceivable that he would strip back the US commitment to defend Europe… Trump could act quickly, by vowing never to order US troops to fight for Europe. Europe, as a result, would be forced to confront a security crisis on a scale it has not faced since World War II…”

Without any question, the situation pertaining to Ukraine and Europe would drastically change if Trump were to be elected.

An Unholy Alliance of Western Leaders

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on September 10:

“As should be clear to all now, ‘war’ has broken out. There is no need for further pretence about it. Rather, there is evident glee at the prospect of a crackdown on the ‘Far-Right’ and its internet users: i.e. those who spread ‘disinformation’ or mal-information… There will be prosecutions, convictions, and fines for cyber ‘actors’…  There is an unholy alliance of western leaders – Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz – whose hatred of what they call populism is undisguised. In his recent visits to Berlin and Paris, Starmer constantly referred to the threat posed by populism…  These days virtually every political problem is blamed on populism …

“The war, for the moment, is targeted at the ‘unaccountable’ billionaires: Pavel Durov, Elon Musk, and his ‘X’ platform. The survival or not of Elon Musk will be crucial to the course of this aspect of the war: The EU’s Digital Service Act was always conceived to serve as ‘Brutus’ to Musk’s ‘Caesar’…”

EU vs. Google and Apple

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 10:

“The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Tuesday that Google had violated antitrust laws and that Apple needed to pay the EU €13 billion ($14.3 billion) in back taxes… Google was fined €2.4 billion, but had appealed to the ECJ, which has now upheld the fine…

“Europe’s case against Apple began in 2016… The EU has long demanded that Apple pay back billions of taxes for two Irish subsidies that the company argues are primarily taxable in the United States. Arguing that they were being subjected to double taxation

“Both the judgments against Google and Apple are final and cannot be overturned… Apple…  said in a statement: ‘The European Commission is trying to retroactively change the rules and ignore that, as required by international tax law, our income was already subject to taxes in the US.’”

Europe’s fight against American companies is clearly in full swing.

Renewed Russian Threats

Express wrote on September 6:

“Putin has once again threatened the use of nuclear weapons after accusing Ukraine of attacking a power plant in the Kursk region…  Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, Putin said: ‘One can only imagine what will happen if we strike back; what will happen in Europe.’…

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also sent a warning to the US over reports that Washington could supply long-range weapons to Ukraine to enable them to strike territory deep within Russia…”

Words and more words… but very often, words lead to wars.

The Shroud of Turin—NOT a Depiction of Jesus

Newsmax wrote on September 5:

“The blood stains on the Shroud of Turin are consistent with the description of torture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ in the Gospels, a new scientific study from Italy finds… Fanti’s and several other scientific inquiries have confirmed that the Shroud contains evidence of a real person with real blood and other bodily effluents. Fanti says the findings indicate the cloth was used on someone with bloody injuries, rather than forged using ink, dye, paint, or other techniques.

“The 14-foot-by-4-foot Shroud of Turin is imprinted with an image of the body and face of a man wearing a ‘crown of thorns’ from a plant, and is covered in bloodstains… Materials that were typical in ancient Jerusalem also were discovered, the study says, suggesting the shroud may have originated in the region and not in Europe where many skeptics think it was created as a medieval forgery

“‘Bloodstained marks all over the body image which are consistent with pre-crucifixion flagellation, bloodstained marks on the head that are consistent with a ‘crown’ of thorns, blood marks on the hand and feet that are consistent with crucifixion and the bloodstain on the chest that evidences a post-mortem wound that corresponds with the post-mortem spear wound that Christ received as is described in the Bible.”

The Shroud does not depict Jesus Christ. For more information, please read our Editorial in this issue.

Parents Sell Their Children For Covid Tests

Report 24 wrote on September 4:

“In fact, a disturbing number of parents decided to have their children vaccinated [against Covid-19] without knowing the exact side effects and potential subsequent damage. But even worse: The pharmaceutical companies also needed parents or guardians for the clinical trials, who exposed their charges to the associated risks. If you look at the ‘expenses’ for this, you will notice: babies and children can be had cheaply…

“According to this, a study on Covid vaccinations for babies has been running in Lincoln (Nebraska) since January 2023, in which healthy infants aged 12 weeks to 6 months are given an experimental vaccine in order to then examine a possible immune reaction via a blood sample. The compensation ‘for time and travel’ is ‘up to 1,800 dollars’

“Do these parents feel like heroes when they let Big Pharma tell them that they are allowing unsafe and as yet unexplored substances to be injected into their offspring for the common good, the ‘greater good’? Who is attracted by sentences like ‘Your baby could be part of important research for an investigational vaccine against the coronavirus (COVID-19)’?…

No less perverse seems the vaccination study for children that was previously conducted in Lincoln, starting in late summer 2022… This study was aimed at children – as compensation for participation over two years, parents were promised ‘more than $3,000’

“It was [a study that] aimed at babies from six months, toddlers up to five years and children up to eleven years… The consequences of a failed vaccine test are unlikely to have been explained to the young participants; young children also have no idea what a lifelong motor or cognitive disability would mean for them.

“The extent to which sacrificing a child who can never give ‘informed consent’ is morally justifiable in the context of clinical trials is an ethical question that Big Pharma is unlikely to care much about. The fact that parents are giving up their own children and exposing them to risks because they do not question the narrative of the ultimately dangerous Covid-19 or the practices of the pharmaceutical industry, for which profit has always been the top priority, should certainly give us food for thought…”

This is tragic and terrible indeed.

Sending Man to Mars?

The Sun wrote on September 9:

“THE man behind SpaceX, Elon Musk, has pledged to take humans to Mars in just four years’ time onboard his Starship mega-rocket. The eccentric billionaire, who also owns Tesla and X, said Starship’s first [uncrewed] flight to Mars will occur in two years’ time, when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens. Earth-Mars transfer launch windows occur every 26 months… Musk doesn’t just have hopes of taking Earthlings to the Red Planet, but of building a Martian metropolis there, too. ‘Flight rate will grow exponentially from there, with the goal of building a self-sustaining city in about 20 years,’ he added in the same post…

“Starship, at nearly 400ft tall, with 33 engines, is the tallest rocket ever leave the ground… the first stage of Starship, known as the Super Heavy booster, is the most powerful rocket ever built… Starship is being developed as part of a $1.15 billion contract with Nasa to deliver astronauts to the Moon in the US space agency’s Artemis programme…

“The newly declared timeline came just a day after China unveiled plans for a crewed mission to Mars in 2033…  Under President Xi Jinping, China spent roughly $14 billion (11.2 billion) on its ambitious space programme in 2023… The US space agency has dominated the industry so far, though has only recently swallowed the bitter pill of scrapping the Viper Moon mission after $450 million had already been spent, citing spiralling costs and delays…”

What possible benefit to mankind could there be in sending expensive rockets and men to Mars? Sadly, none whatsoever, while these amounts of money could be used for worthwhile purposes.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

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