On December 10, 2022, Norbert Link will present Comments on News and Prophecy and the sermon titled, “God the Father Is the Highest, Part 2”
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.
Newsmax reported on December 2:
“Elon Musk rolled out his internal probe into how Twitter handled the Hunter Biden laptop story on Friday, showing extreme lengths the company went through to protect President Joe Biden. In a thread from journalist Matt Taibbi, endorsed by Musk, leaked documents suggest the company disproportionately favored Democrats on content moderation before the billionaire took control.
“The Rolling Stone contributing editor laid out a series of redacted files alleged to originate from Twitter employees’ communications, appearing to show collusion between Twitter’s top brass and the Biden campaign, as well as the Democratic National Committee.
“In one of the documents dated Oct. 24, 2020, an employee is seen linking to a set of tweets from accounts flagged by a group referred to as ‘the Biden team.’ Three hours later, another employee replies that he ‘handled these,’ implying what appears to be removal…
“But the greatest attention was focused on accusations surrounding Twitter’s suppression of evidence obtained from Hunter Biden’s laptop, initially published by the New York Post. ‘Twitter took extraordinary steps to suppress the story, removing links and posting warnings that it may be “unsafe.” They even blocked its transmission via direct message, a tool hitherto reserved for extreme cases, e.g. child pornography,’ Taibbi wrote.
“Taibbi then described how the story was removed on the basis of violating Twitter’s ‘hacked materials policy’ and was made ‘at the highest levels of the company but without the knowledge of CEO Jack Dorsey.’… According to several anonymous employees, flagging a post for hacked materials normally ‘required an official/law enforcement finding of a hack.’ However, that never appeared…”
Almost 80% of voters said they believe that if Americans would have known about the Hunter Biden scandal and the possible involvement of Joe Biden, which was suppressed by Twitter and the left-wing mass media, just prior to the presidential election in 2020, they would have voted differently. In response, Trump said the Constitution should be suspended and new elections held. He was strongly condemned by Democrats and some Republicans for this statement, daring to question the “sanctity” of the Constitution,
The New York Post published the following opinion piece by the Post Editorial Board on December 2:
“The Post’s reporting wasn’t just blocked, it was suppressed…
“Twitter was directly involved in tilting an election. Everyone could see it, but because they were desperate for Donald Trump to lose and Joe Biden to win, that the media barely made a peep. Even after Hunter Biden’s former business partner gave a public press conference backing up exactly what The Post had reported.
“After it became untenable to say the laptop wasn’t real, Twitter told us we could have our account back — we just had to delete the original Tweet. We could even put up a new Tweet linking to the Hunter Biden story, one that wouldn’t be censored, but we had to delete the original one.
“The logic behind this blackmail escaped us. The Post refused. It would be 17 days before Twitter finally backed down and unfroze our account.
“The bias was clear… And, by the way, nothing really changed afterward. Twitter went right back to censoring those who didn’t toe the line on COVID and any other number of topics… The Democratic National Committee and the Biden administration were in direct email contact with the Twitter content team, pointing them exactly to the Tweets they wanted destroyed.
“It took a very expensive change of ownership for these details to come to light, and for the promise of less censorship in the future. That’s why the left is losing their minds.”
In a related article, the New York Post wrote on December 3:
“Elon Musk half-delivered on his promise to tell all about Twitter’s censorship of the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 election. What was missing were details of specific warnings we know the FBI made to Twitter about a Russian ‘hack and leak operation’ involving Hunter during their weekly meetings with top executives of the social media giant in the days and weeks before The Post published its exclusive bombshell.
“We know that FBI Supervisory Special Agent Elvis Chan testified Tuesday in a lawsuit against the Biden administration brought by Republican attorneys that he organized those weekly meetings with Twitter and Facebook in San Francisco for as many as seven Washington-based FBI agents in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election…
“Musk reveals that a crucial player in Twitter’s censorship of The Post was former FBI general counsel James Baker, a central player in the Russia collusion hoax, who had become Twitter’s Deputy General Counsel…
“It is not known whether Musk has withheld material in Twitter’s records after an intense pressure campaign from President Biden, the White House, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and threats that Big Tech compatriots Apple and Google would banish Twitter from their app store.”
Let us sure hope that he did not, and that the entire ugly truth comes to light soon.
Newsmax reported on Tuesday, December 6, that “Musk fired deputy general counsel James Baker, a former counsel to FBI director James Comey, on Tuesday, following revelations that he was slow-walking the release of files regarding government collusion with the social media company to journalists Matt Taibbi and Bari Weiss…
“Over the weekend… it was [Weiss] who discovered that the person in charge of releasing the files was someone named Jim. When she called to ask ‘Jim’s’ last name, the answer came back: ‘Jim Baker.’… Taibbi adds that ‘news that Baker was reviewing the ‘Twitter files” surprised everyone involved, to say the least.’ On Tuesday, Musk tweeted, that ‘in light of concerns about Baker’s possible role in suppression of information important to the public dialogue, he was exited from Twitter today.’”
Good for Musk.
According to the Liberty Report, dated December 7, “The ‘former’ FBI Agent [Jim Baker] at the center of the bogus ‘Russiagate’ operation was brought on by Twitter’s previous management, where he played a key role in suppressing the Hunter Biden bombshell. Musk decided to release the internal communications of ‘old’ Twitter around the censorship and that same ‘former’ FBI agent [Jim Baker] was caught red-handed [allegedly] removing the evidence before it could be released.”
Breitbart wrote on December 3:
“Former top intelligence officials who signed an open letter suggesting the Hunter Biden laptop story was part of a Russian operation just weeks before the 2020 election were silent after internal Twitter emails acknowledged there was no evidence the story involved material that was illicitly obtained…
“Leon Panetta, a former CIA director and defense secretary, John Brennan, a former CIA director, Mike Hayden, a former CIA director, and Jim Clapper, a former director of national intelligence — who all once said The Post’s reporting had ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation,’ — declined or did not respond to request for comment about whether the latest disclosures had changed their opinion…
“Five days after questions were raised at Twitter about relying on a hacking justification to suppress the story, more than 50 former intelligence officials published an open letter on October 19, 2020, that argued that, based on their experience and expertise, the story came from the Russian government… The letter was also signed by former acting CIA Directors John McLaughlin and Michael Morell…”
At a very minimum, no confidence can be placed in their “experience and expertise.” That’s how politics are made and how “facts” are being fabricated. And when the truth is revealed, the culprits remain silent and go into hiding.
On December 5, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column in the Ron Paul Institute:
“The release, in coordination with truly independent journalist Matt Taibbi, demonstrated indisputably how politicians and representatives of ‘official Washington’ pressed the teams that were then in charge of censorship at Twitter to remove Tweets and even ban accounts that were guilty of nothing beyond posting something the power-brokers did not want the general public to read. Let’s not forget that many of those demanding Twitter censorship were US government officials who had taken an oath to the US Constitution and its First Amendment.
“It is important to understand that both US political parties were involved in pushing Twitter to censor information they didn’t like. There is plenty of corruption to go around. However, as the Twitter Papers demonstrated, vastly more Tweets were censored at the demand of Democratic Party politicians simply because Twitter employees on the censorship team were overwhelmingly Democratic Party supporters…
“Elon Musk himself openly stated before the release that, prior to his taking control of the company and engaging in mass firing, Twitter had been manipulating elections. So all those years we heard lies from the Washington elites that Russia was interfering in our elections when after all it was Twitter. Of course that raises the question about other large social media companies like Facebook. Will Mark Zuckerberg come clean about his own company’s election interference? Will anyone have the courage to demand that he do so?
“How did they get away with all of this? As another truly independent journalist, Glenn Greenwald, pointed out on the Tucker Carlson show the night the ‘Twitter Papers’ were released, while it was once controversial for the CIA to attempt to manipulate what Americans consume in the mainstream media, nowadays these outlets openly hire ‘former’ US intelligence leaders and officers as news analysts. CNN, MSNBC, Fox, and the rest of them all bring on ‘former’ members of the intelligence services to tell Americans what to think. ‘Big tech censorship is a critical tool of the national security state,’ Greenwald told Tucker. ‘Whenever anyone tries to do anything about it these former people from the CIA and the Pentagon and the rest jump up and say “we cannot allow you to restore free speech.”’
“This is a corruption scandal so massive that it is almost guaranteed to never be properly investigated. Government itself is among the most guilty and we know ‘government commissions’ are really about covering up rather than uncovering the crimes committed. But the truth is powerful. Some 58 years after the Warren Report whitewashed the assassination of President Kennedy, polls show that few Americans believe the ‘official’ narrative… No amount of lies can withstand the disinfectant of truth. Thanks to Elon Musk for his courage and we encourage him to continue.”
A massive corruption scandal indeed! But it is by no means the only one. For example, note our articles below regarding the alleged cover-up of the Chinese and US governments regarding COVID origins, as well as the Biden Administration’s granting immunity to a despot accused of murdering an American journalist.
Breitbart wrote on December 6:
“Former President Donald Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, was convicted of tax fraud and other financial crimes on Tuesday in the case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden continues to walk free, despite admitting in December 2020 — after the presidential election — that he was under federal investigation for possible tax violations linked to his foreign business activities.
“Trump’s real estate organization was convicted on all 17 counts on the second day of deliberation following the trial, where the Trump Organization was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks ‘such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars,’ the Associated Press reported.
“The organization could face up to a maximum of $1.62 million, which is a comparably small amount for the company’s size, but the AP noted that ‘the conviction might make some of its future deals more complicated.’ Overall, the conviction comes after New York prosecutors have spent the last three years investigating the former president and his businesses.
“Trump himself was not a target of the investigation or prosecution. The case against the company was based on the testimony from the Trump Organization’s former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg. Weisselberg testified in exchange for only having a five-month jail sentence after previously pleading guilty to charges that he manipulated the Trump Organization’s books as well as his own compensation package to reduce his taxes. Weisselberg refused pressure to testify against Trump as part of the plea deal.”
One could read between the lines…
Fox Business wrote on December 2:
“Biden signs [a] bill forcing rail unions to accept [an] agreement, averting [a] crippling strike… The agreement passed by Congress was approved by eight of 12 transportation unions involved in negotiations. The four dissenting unions, representing about 100,000 rail workers, said the deal was unfair because it included insufficient paid-sick leave time.
“They had asked for seven paid sick days, but Congress did not include their demand in the bill, despite an effort from progressive lawmakers and even some conservatives like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to amend the legislation.”
Senator Rand Paul did not vote for the bill, saying on Fox Business to Larry Kudlow: “Congress should not get involved in contracts.. Congress should not [be]dictating our will.. This is determined in the market place. The whole thing was wrong… The more Congress gets involved, the more the other side expects that to happen… Republican voters across the country are upset with the old establishment up here [in Washington].”
Kudlow totally agreed with Paul. Ronald Reagan had famously said about human governments:
“Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem… Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them… Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one… Politics I supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.”
The term “political prostitutes” would aptly apply.
NBC News reported on December 7:
“Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican football star Herschel Walker on Tuesday in Georgia’s Senate runoff election, handing President Joe Biden and his party a key win.
“Warnock’s victory will give Democrats an outright majority in the Senate [of 51 to 49 votes] after two years under a 50-50 divide, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes.”
With the House in the hands of Republicans and the Senate in the hands of Democrats, this now looks more and more like a stalemate in US politics.
Modern Diplomacy wrote on December 6:
“The current era is marked by fading trust in U.S. institutions, but confidence in one pillar has held up: the military. But now even that is eroding, and the question is whether the brass will get the message… The Reagan Institute releases an annual survey of public attitudes on national defense, and this year only 48% reported having ‘a great deal of confidence’ in the U.S. military… That’s down from 70% in 2018, and within the margin error of last year’s 45%. Some 52% also had reduced confidence in uniformed officers.
“General Mark Milley’s speech to Congress last year that he wanted to understand ‘white rage,’ in response to reasonable inquiries about whether cadets at West Point should be learning critical race theory, was a lapse in judgment. Many Americans think the military is no longer an institution that runs on excellence, merit and individual submission to a larger cause. The Pentagon denies this is a problem, but it surely is if half the public believes it.
“Americans on the left have their own reasons for declining confidence in the military: 46% cited right-wing extremism, even though this scourge has been wildly overstated… Some 75% in the Reagan survey viewed China as an enemy, up from 55% in 2018, and the percentage of those worried about Russia has doubled. Some 70% are concerned China might invade Taiwan within five years, and 61% support increasing the U.S. military’s Pacific footprint.”
The Bible says in Ezekiel 7:14 that when the trumpet sounds, no one in America will be willing to fight.
The Guardian wrote on December 6:
“A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman that claimed he conspired to kill journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the crown prince was entitled to sovereign immunity despite ‘credible allegations’ that he was involved in the murder. Judge John Bates, a US district court judge with a long history of presiding over cases involving national security, acknowledged ‘uneasiness’ in making the decision, but said that his hands were in effect tied by the Biden administration’s recent recommendation that Prince Mohammed be given immunity…
“The dismissal of the civil claim against Prince Mohammed and two of his close associates – Saud al-Qahtani and Ahmed al-Asiri – means the Saudi heir can now travel to the US and other jurisdictions freely. Although the case was not brought by US prosecutors with the power to arrest him, if it had been allowed to proceed, the case would have created a legal minefield for the crown prince and if he had been found guilty, could have put his financial interests in the US in jeopardy…
“Khashoggi’s brutal murder in 2018 created an international outcry. An investigation by Agnes Callamard, then the UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, found that Khashoggi had been the victim of a ‘deliberate, premeditated execution’ for which the state of Saudi Arabia was responsible under human rights law… In an angry statement to the Guardian, Callamard, who is now director general of Amnesty International, listed multiple parties who she claimed had ‘contributed to the impunity for the state murder of Jamal Khashoggi’, from Saudi Arabia itself, to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey, to Joe Biden…
“Judge Bates’s ruling comes years after then-candidate Biden promised that he would hold the Saudi crown prince accountable for the murder if he was elected president and suggested that Prince Mohammed ought to be treated as a ‘global pariah’ for his alleged role in the killing.
Shortly after entering the White House, it appeared that Biden would follow through on the campaign promise. His administration released an unclassified intelligence report that concluded that ‘MBS’, as he is known, had likely approved the killing. But no further sanctions against the crown prince or his vast business interests in the US followed… ‘The Executive Branch remains responsible for foreign affairs, including with Saudi Arabia, and a contrary decision on bin Salman’s immunity by this court would unduly interfere with those responsibilities all the same,’ the judge wrote.”
The New York Post added on December 6:
“Judge John Bates wrote in an opinion filed Tuesday that the suit… ‘must be dismissed at this time,’ despite a request by the plaintiffs’ attorneys that the judge challenge the Biden decision [to grant immunity to the Prince]. ‘As the branch of government primarily responsible for international affairs and diplomacy, the Executive Branch may be hindered or embarrassed should the judiciary second-guess its foreign immunity decisions,’ Bates wrote.
“‘Despite the Court’s uneasiness, then, with both the circumstances of bin Salman’s appointment and the credible allegations of his involvement in Khashoggi’s murder, the United States has informed the Court that he is immune, and bin Salman is therefore “entitled to head of state immunity . . . while he remains in office”’, Bates continued. ‘Accordingly, the claims against bin Salman will be dismissed based on head-of-state immunity,’ he added.”
Incredible! Politics galore!!! What kind of a “justice system” do we have where a potential murderer cannot even be held accountable? And so, as we have seen so often, Biden’s declarations and promises mean absolutely nothing.
The U.S. Sun wrote on December 8:
“BRITTNEY Griner has been released from prison in Russia. The WNBA star was released Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer [and “merchant of death”] Viktor Bout… Griner was held for months in a Russian prison after being convicted of drug charges. The one-for-one prisoner exchange was approved by president Joe Biden within the last week…
“The deal between the US and [Russia] leaves American corporate security executive and former Marine Paul Whelan imprisoned in Russia in what American officials have called fraudulent charges. Russian courts sentenced Griner to nine years in prison on August 4 on drug smuggling charges for bringing hashish oil into the country…
“Bout was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the states after being convicted by a federal court in 2011 for conspiracy to kill US citizens and officials.
“Biden addressed the nation on Thursday from the White House alongside Harris and Griner’s wife Cherelle, saying ‘this was a day we’d worked for for a long time.’… The president also spoke of Whelan, saying ‘we have not forgotten about’ him and pledged to not stop fighting for his release…
“[Viktor] Bout exploited the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s and ran a fleet of planes, shipping ammunition to war-torn countries in Africa. He’s also accused of supplying ammunition to brutal regimes and warlords. In 2011, Bout was convicted on charges of conspiring to kill American citizens and officers. He was also found guilty of providing resources in the form of weapons to a foreign terrorist organization.”
German Foreign Policy wrote on November 23:
“The trade war is expanding between the EU and the USA over investment programs worth hundreds of billions. According to reports, these programs threaten not only the production of electric cars and their batteries, but also the wind and hydrogen energy sectors – all the industrial sectors crucial to Berlin’s and the EU’s futuristic plans. This is caused by these US measures, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which promise hundreds of billions of US dollars in subsidies, however, granted only for products manufactured in the USA. To take advantage of this boost in subsidies, Washington is coaxing companies from Europe, but also from Japan and South Korea to relocate to the United States. Whereas France is calling for resolute countermeasures, Berlin is playing it down, restricting the EU to negotiations with the USA. According to economists, ‘a great number of industries of the future’ are ultimately at stake. Former Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser even warns of an ‘industrial and capital exodus from Europe’ to the USA…
“The purchase of electric cars is being subsidized with US $7,500 each. However, only cars produced in the USA are subsidized. This also applies to components, such as batteries. Even their raw materials must initially be mined and processed to 40 and – in the long term – to 80 percent in the United States, or alternatively in a country linked to the USA by a free trade agreement. This excludes China, but also Germany and the EU – not only in regards to individual products but also to complete supply chains…
“South Korea is… seriously affected. Hyundai, for example, has a few successful electric car models, with which the company is competing with the US’ Tesla. However, these are not being produced in the USA and therefore, are totally excluded from the subsidy programs. This has proven an embarrassment for South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-Yeol. Since he assumed office last May, he has supported Washington’s measures…, for example favoring US chip production, and thereby running the risk of tensions with China. Now he realizes that cooperation with the USA is economically costly for his country. There is enormous anger in Seoul…
“An amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act is considered out of the question, also because the US Congress must be in favor, which is even less conceivable now, given the results of the latest mid-terms, wherein the Republicans have won a majority in the House of Representatives. Theoretically, changes of the implementation regulations would be possible – but there is nothing to indicate that Washington would agree to anything beyond mere cosmetic adjustments..”
Biden could make changes via executive orders, but will he? After the debacle with the railroad strike [see above], how much more is he willing to do to risk his political survival within the Democratic Party?
Deutsche Welle wrote on December 3:
“German Finance Minister Christian Lindner warned Saturday over a brewing trade war between Europe and the United States… Smoother transatlantic ties since President Joe Biden succeeded Donald Trump have hit a stumbling block… ‘The USA is our partner of shared values, but at the same time there is an enormously protectionist economic policy,’ he told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper…
“Lindner said that the German economy, unlike France’s, is closely linked to the US market. He was referring to the US being a huge market for German automobiles, while French carmakers do not export there… Lindner’s remarks follow a call earlier this week by German Economy Minister Robert Habeck for a ‘robust’ response by Brussels to the new US subsidies.
“The EU is not Washington’s only ally frustrated at the new [IRA] subsidies. South Korea has also raised concerns that its carmakers will not be eligible for the US tax breaks. During a visit to the United States this week, French President Emmanuel Macron described Washington’s new tax breaks as ‘super aggressive’ and warned that the package would ‘divide the West.’
“Biden acknowledged that there were ‘glitches’ in the IRA which favors American-made climate technology, adding ‘there are tweaks we can make’ to satisfy allies, he said. Despite the conciliatory words, several Democratic lawmakers said they have no plans to revisit the legislation, which passed after more than a year of negotiations without any Republican support.”
EU to Buy Weapons as a Bloc
The Telegraph wrote on November 15:
“European Union countries must buy weapons as a bloc in the same way they negotiated for coronavirus vaccines, the EU’s foreign policy chief [Josep Borrell] said on Tuesday… Mr Borrell told EU defence ministers that the EU was now the world leader in the production of vaccines and that the plan could hand a similar boost to European arms companies… Joint purchasing will increase the interoperability of European armies because they would have similar technology, and the proposal could be seen as a step towards the… future prospect of an EU army…
“‘Member states need to immediately restore the readiness of their forces, address critical capability gaps and replenish depleted stocks,’ [Mr Borrell and Thierry Breton, the French commissioner for the internal market] said in a letter obtained by The Telegraph… The fully-fledged joint purchasing scheme is… called the European Defence Investment Programme. Once backed by the 27 EU member states, it will coincide with moves to accelerate ‘EU defence manufacturing capacity’.”
After Europe has become the world leader in the manufacture and sale of vaccines, Europe might soon become the world leader in the manufacture, purchase and sale of weapons, followed by the long-awaited establishment of an all-powerful European army.
DNYUZ reported on December 7:
“Special Forces in Germany have arrested 25 people suspected of supporting a domestic terrorism organization that planned to overthrow the government and form its own state, the federal prosecutor said on Wednesday.
“In early-morning raids carried out across the country, Special Forces officers detained people believed to be members and supporters of the group, which prosecutors said had been formed in the past year and was operating on the conviction that ‘Germany is currently ruled by members of a so-called deep state’ that needed to be overthrown. Prosecutors said two other people had been arrested outside Germany, one in Austria and another in Italy.
“The prosecutors described the group, which they did not identify, as being influenced by the ideologies of the conspiracy group QAnon and a right-wing German conspiracy group called the Reichsbürger, or Citizens of the Reich, which believes that Germany’s post-World War II republic is not a sovereign country but a corporation set up by the Allies who won the war.
“Many of those arrested had military training and included former German soldiers, including from the army of the former East Germany, and were known to have been heavily armed with weapons acquired illegally. The group was most likely formed in late 2021, the prosecutors said. Among those arrested was a man who tried to make contact with representatives of the Russian government over the plans, according to a statement from the federal prosecutor, but there were no indications that they had received a positive response from the Russian sources they had contacted…
“Its aim was ‘to overcome the existing state order in Germany and to establish its own by its own form of state, the outlines of which have already been worked out,’ using military means and violence against state representatives, the prosecutors said in the statement. The group’s plans included an armed attack on the German Parliament building, the Reichstag, the prosecutors said. The members had also formed a sort of shadow government that they intended to install if their plans were successful. ‘The members of the organization were aware that this goal can only be achieved through the use of military means and violence against state representatives,’ the prosecutor’s statement said. ‘This also included commissioning killings.’
“According to the members of the group, liberation is promised by the imminent intervention of the ‘Alliance,’ a technically superior secret alliance of governments, intelligence services and militaries of various states, including Russia and the United States, according to the prosecutors.”
Deutsche Welle added on December 7:
“The trigger for the raids was an investigation into another Reichsbürger group that had planned to kidnap German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach…
“Speaking at a press conference, German Attorney General Peter Frank said… the group had established a council that was intended to act as the government of the new state with some individuals already designated for ministerial roles. Among them, said the attorney general, was a former member of the Bundestag who was to take over the justice portfolio…”
“The movement argues that the German constitution prior to World War II was never properly nullified and that the formation of the former West Germany in 1949, and now reunified Germany, was therefore never valid.”
The Guardian added on December 7:
“… the [arrested] group’s alleged ringleader [is] Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuß von Greiz, who claims descent from a royal line that ruled for 800 years in Thuringia until the breakup of the German monarchy…
“The group, under the leadership of Heinrich XIII and a former commander of a paratrooper battalion, had been preparing for so-called ‘Day X’, on which about two dozen people were to storm the Reichstag building, home to the German parliament, and to handcuff and arrest MPs and parliamentary staff in an operation taking as its example the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.”
ntv wrote on December 7:
“The idea that he [Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuß von Greiz] and his comrades-in-arms actually took power in the country seems absurd. That ‘the people’ would have joined them, that the police and the Bundeswehr would have thrown off 70 years of democracy and happily offered themselves to a new monarchy – that was pipe dreams. But it would have shaken the republic to the core if crazy Reich citizens had broken into the Reichstag and shot people there…
“It is unknown how Reuss convinced his fellow campaigners. It’s also not clear if he was the driving force at all. It is not to be expected that he would have won over the masses. Not only because hardly anyone knew him to this day…”
At this point, we have only heard the allegations and accusations by the prosecution. Whether there was really a plot to overthrow the German government will have to be seen when more facts come to light.
Report 24 wrote on December 8:
“A brutal overthrow of the system was thwarted at the last second – so read the lurid reports of the mainstream press. Responsible are not radical climate activists, whose fantasies of overthrow are offered a worldwide stage, but so-called Reichsbürger: 3,000 police officers were allegedly needed to make 25 arrests in the pensioner milieu, oh no, in the ‘right swamp’. The narrative of the media has reached such a level of absurdity that it shakes up believing citizens and encourages them to ask critical questions…
“Then last night my mother called me, completely upset and deeply concerned. In her perception… Germany narrowly escaped an attempted coup by a heavily armed right-wing extremist army of Reichsbürgern controlled by Russia and Putin yesterday, which could only be stopped with great difficulty with almost 3,000 heavily armed special police forces…
“In my opinion, radicalism in whatever form is never good. But the totalitarian climate stickers that block ambulances and rescue vehicles and prevent people from getting to work, or the electricity and gas prices as well as the skyrocketing food prices or the children harmed by the government’s corona measures really worry me more than 25 or 50 people entertaining bizarre subversive fantasies in Telegram chat groups.”
Life Site News wrote on December 1:
“Dr. Roger Hodkinson said on a recent podcast that leaders in Canada and the rest of the world have perpetrated the ‘biggest kill ever in medicine’s history’ as a result of COVID lockdowns and vaccine coercion… As much as he said politicians are to blame, he said that ‘physicians are principally culpably because they have allowed [the] government to influence how they manage their patients, which has never, ever happened before.’
“Hodkinson was particularly harsh on physicians who looked ‘into the eyes of a pregnant woman and [told] her that this experimental product [vaccine] is safe.’ He added that any physicians ‘that has done that should be in jail.’… After becoming emotional relaying the horror of sick people dying without loved ones present due to COVID restrictions, he said, ‘What about our children? Now being vaccinated against something they don’t need, and being killed by it.’
“He called the push to jab kids ‘child sacrifice to appease these new gods’… ‘Child sacrifice didn’t work for the Aztecs, it didn’t make the rain fall, and it won’t save granny in the nursing home.’”
Just the News wrote on December 4:
“Former vice president of EcoHealth Alliance Dr. Andrew Huff says that he worked closely with the Wuhan Institute of Virology lab in China and he knows that COVID was genetically engineered and leaked. Huff says that COVID was ‘one of the greatest cover-ups in history’ and the ‘biggest US intelligence failure since 9/11.’
“Whistleblower Dr. Huff wrote a book titled The Truth About Wuhan in which he claims that the COVID-19 pandemic happened because of the U.S. government’s funding of genetic engineering of coronaviruses in China [and] that China knew from day one that this was a ‘genetically engineered agent.’
“Huff, an epidemiologist and army veteran who worked for EcoHealth Alliance from 2014 to 2016, said it was China’s gain-of-function experiments — and shoddy biosecurity — that led to the lab leak at the U.S.-funded lab. ‘The US government is to blame for the transfer of dangerous biotechnology to the Chinese,’ he told The Sun Online. Dr. Huff wrote in his book that ‘greedy scientists killed millions of people globally’ and the U.S. government helped cover it up.”
If proven true, they all should be punished.
On December 2, the Ron Paul Institute republished the following article by Professor Jonathan Turley:
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left many of us gob smacked this week when he denounced China for its crackdown on protesters. Many of us denounced Trudeau for his authoritarian crackdown on truckers protesting Canada’s Covid policies.
“Trudeau used terrorist laws to freeze bank accounts, treat truckers as terrorists and treat truckers as effective weapons. This is a continuation of Trudeau’s utter lack of self-awareness (and the media continuing lack of objectivity). He previously was praised for his stance against Cuba’s crackdown on protestors…
“Justin Trudeau, like his father, has never been a strong supporter of free speech. Indeed, he has more often championed its limitations…”
What a dangerous hypocrite! And what a despicable political press.
On December 1, the Rutherford Institute published the following alarming and disturbing article:
“… in an 8-3 vote on Nov. 29, 2022, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a proposal to allow police to arm robots with deadly weapons for use in emergency situations. This is how the slippery slope begins…. police now have the power to kill with immunity using remote-controlled robots…. It’s only a matter of time before these killer robots intended for use as a last resort become as common as SWAT teams.
“Frequently justified as vital tools necessary to combat terrorism and deal with rare but extremely dangerous criminal situations, such as those involving hostages, SWAT teams—which first appeared on the scene in California in the 1960s—have now become intrinsic parts of local law enforcement operations, thanks in large part to substantial federal assistance and the Pentagon’s military surplus recycling program, which allows the transfer of military equipment, weapons and training to local police for free or at sharp discounts…
“How long before these armed, militarized robots, authorized to use lethal force against American citizens, become as commonplace as SWAT teams and just as deadly?… how long before mistakes are made, technology gets hacked or goes haywire, robots are deployed based on false or erroneous information, and innocent individuals get killed in the line of fire?
“…We’re gaining ground fast on the kind of autonomous, robotic assassins that Terminator envisioned would be deployed by 2029… It’s the boiling frog analogy all over again, and yet there’s more at play than just militarization or suppressing dissent.
“There’s a philosophical underpinning to this debate over killer robots that we can’t afford to overlook, and that is the government’s expansion of its power to kill the citizenry. Although the government was established to protect the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of the American people, the Deep State has been working hard to strip us of any claims to life and liberty…
“Having claimed the power to kill through the use of militarized police who shoot first and ask questions later, SWAT team raids, no-knock raids, capital punishment, targeted drone attacks, grisly secret experiments on prisoners and unsuspecting communities, weapons of mass destruction, endless wars, etc., the government has come to view ‘we the people’ as collateral damage in its pursuit of absolute power… we are at a dangerous crossroads. Not only are our lives in danger. Our very humanity is at stake.”
Human governments with uncontrolled and unchecked powers are very dangerous.
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.
On December 10, 2022, Norbert Link will present Comments on News and Prophecy and the sermon titled, “God the Father Is the Highest, Part 2”
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.
by Brian Gale (United Kingdom)
The FIFA Football World Cup is nearing its final stages in Qatar. This four-yearly event features the world’s best 32 football teams who fight it out over about a 4 week period to become World Champions.
Since the voting took place in 2010 to have the venue in Qatar, there has been much controversy over the venue for many reasons (including the allegation of FIFA’s corruption and bribery) and since the start of the competition on November 20th, more controversy has arisen because of the refusal of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) to allow teams to wear the ‘OneLove’ rainbow armband in a show of solidarity for the LGBT+ community and as protest against many human rights violations in that country.
England, Germany and seven other teams had planned to wear the armband as an equality gesture but players faced being booked and even banned under strict FIFA dress rules, as uniquely applied by FIFA to the World Cup in Qatar. In addition, because homosexuality is still illegal in Qatar and many violations of human rights, torture and killing have been taking place in that country, the armband would have highlighted this – not good publicity for the host nation. On Friday 25th November and subsequently, many fans of the Welsh team were, however, allowed to wear rainbow coloured hats.
On the other hand, the World Cup in other countries and many other sporting events in many ways have turned out to be a circus of protestation. The equality movement started out, some time ago, by being about racial discrimination, then morphed into general discrimination and then LGBT+ was added on. Just like the frog in boiling water, they get to their desired destination bit by bit and which was allowed by society with little dissent and then, when they had achieved their goals through freedom of speech, they now want to close that right, and freedom of speech on this matter becomes unacceptable. All because they think that what they promote is absolutely correct. Very clever but transparent for anyone with eyes to see. It has been a thoroughly successful brainwashing exercise.
It seems therefore, on the face of it, that this support of homosexual and other deviant sexual behaviour is approved by all, but is that true? The only voices you seem to hear are the loud and strident ones who are in favour of behaviour of which the great Creator God disapproves. But what of others? From what I see and hear, there are many who very much disagree with this obsession but if they argue to the contrary, they are immediately vilified by all and sundry and, in many cases “cancelled”. And they will automatically be called homophobic.
Can you imagine what the odds are of ALL the professional footballers (soccer players) in the English leagues ALL approving of this lifestyle but none of them daring to come out and disagree with this current fashionable lifestyle? It surely cannot be so as so many of them, particularly from abroad, cross themselves and other revealing characteristics when they enter the field of play, which reveals that they are Roman Catholics and Catholicism doesn’t approve of homosexuality (At least, that is the official stance of the Roman Catholic Church, while many members may have a different point of view. Therefore, if they go along with the current thinking, they are denying what their church teaches which makes it hypocrisy (But what else is new?).
Can you imagine what the odds are of all the television and radio commentators and presenters ALL disapproving of this lifestyle but none of them daring to come out and disagree with this current fashionable lifestyle? If they did they would, almost inevitably, lose their jobs.
Can you imagine what the odds are of ALL the nation of the UK, ALL approving of this lifestyle? Of course, that is not so, but the expectation is that everyone must approve it because they believe their cause is 100% correct.
We can see from the following example of what happens if you say that homosexuality is condemned by the Bible as happened in 2019 when it was reported at that time that “An Australian rugby player is losing his $4 million contract for social media comments about homosexuality. A three-person panel determined Friday that Rugby Australia will sack fullback Israel Folau for social media posts listing homosexuals among those condemned to Hell. Folau considers himself a devout Christian. One of his recent Instagram posts warns that ‘drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters’ will go to Hell unless they ‘REPENT’” (He was slightly misquoting 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Interestingly, Wikipedia reports that “In May 2019, a Code of Conduct hearing was undertaken, during which the CEO of Rugby Australia, Raelene Castle, suggested she would have terminated Folau’s contract if he had ‘photocopied Bible passages’ and posted them to his social media.” And so, it would appear that putting Scriptures on social media is not acceptable. How far have some separated themselves from God!
Israel Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia and signed for the Catalans Dragons team in the UK in 2020. He caused controversy again, in the first game of the season against, St Helens, being the only player of both teams refusing to take the knee, which is being used in that context to symbolize solidarity against police brutality and racism. That proves the point as to what would happen if soccer players did the same.
It works this way – you either go along with it or you are in trouble.
Just because professional sportsmen think it is acceptable doesn’t of itself make it right.
Just because all of the presenters in the media think it is acceptable doesn’t of itself make it right.
Just because the “noise” in society seems to be in favour of this and think it is acceptable doesn’t of itself make it right.
The problem is that they don’t understand and don’t want to understand what God determines.
But God tells His ministers to “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1), and we must do that, but with wisdom.
However, God does tell the people of God how to behave with such matters. We are all made in the image of God and are important to Him.
We are to love our fellow man as the second great commandment, summarizing the last six of the Ten Commandments, enjoins us to love our neighbour as ourself (compare Matthew 22:39), but we are to hate sin committed by others (and ourselves). God hates sin as we read in Psalm 5:4: “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You” and we are to become like God. That is to love the sinner but hate the sin! Unfortunately, society, in general, doesn’t understand that, or want to understand it, preferring to go along with the status quo being the easy option.
We will not be able, at this time of man’s rule, to change deeply held, but incorrect convictions of others, but in the Kingdom of God, man will be taught the ways of God and perverted lifestyles will simply not be part of that education or allowed as an alternative lifestyle.
by Norbert Link
This issue highlights many cases of governmental suppression in the USA and other countries, painting a troublesome and quite dangerous picture of corruption and the goal of abolishing or at least severely limiting individual liberties and freedoms.
We begin with the incredible massive corruption scandal perpetrated by Twitter in conjunction with the US government, thereby manipulating and interfering with the presidential election in 2020, which might have prevented Trump’s victory. We continue with the (questionable) criminal conviction of two Trump organizations; Biden’s signing a law criminalizing railroads if they were to strike; the loss of trust by many Americans in the military; and the Biden administration granting Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman immunity, thereby preventing any civil or criminal lawsuit against the despot’s involvement in the gruesome murder of a Washington Post journalist.
We address the looming trade war between Europe and the USA; the EU’s intention to buy weapons “as a bloc”; and the (as of now unproven) allegation that a ”terrorist” group was preparing to overthrow the German government, leading to the arrest of numerous ”suspects.”
We point out troubling developments pertaining to the “fight” of governments (especially of China and the USA) against COVID and the alleged suppression of important facts; and address Justin Trudeau’s incredible hypocrisy in condemning China’s “authoritarian crackdown” on demonstrators.
We conclude with a weird story about San Francisco’s desire to arm police with armed robots, which could bring about “autonomous, robotic assassins that Terminator envisioned would be deployed by 2029.”
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
Newsmax reported on December 2:
“Elon Musk rolled out his internal probe into how Twitter handled the Hunter Biden laptop story on Friday, showing extreme lengths the company went through to protect President Joe Biden. In a thread from journalist Matt Taibbi, endorsed by Musk, leaked documents suggest the company disproportionately favored Democrats on content moderation before the billionaire took control.
“The Rolling Stone contributing editor laid out a series of redacted files alleged to originate from Twitter employees’ communications, appearing to show collusion between Twitter’s top brass and the Biden campaign, as well as the Democratic National Committee.
“In one of the documents dated Oct. 24, 2020, an employee is seen linking to a set of tweets from accounts flagged by a group referred to as ‘the Biden team.’ Three hours later, another employee replies that he ‘handled these,’ implying what appears to be removal…
“But the greatest attention was focused on accusations surrounding Twitter’s suppression of evidence obtained from Hunter Biden’s laptop, initially published by the New York Post. ‘Twitter took extraordinary steps to suppress the story, removing links and posting warnings that it may be “unsafe.” They even blocked its transmission via direct message, a tool hitherto reserved for extreme cases, e.g. child pornography,’ Taibbi wrote.
“Taibbi then described how the story was removed on the basis of violating Twitter’s ‘hacked materials policy’ and was made ‘at the highest levels of the company but without the knowledge of CEO Jack Dorsey.’… According to several anonymous employees, flagging a post for hacked materials normally ‘required an official/law enforcement finding of a hack.’ However, that never appeared…”
Almost 80% of voters said they believe that if Americans would have known about the Hunter Biden scandal and the possible involvement of Joe Biden, which was suppressed by Twitter and the left-wing mass media, just prior to the presidential election in 2020, they would have voted differently. In response, Trump said the Constitution should be suspended and new elections held. He was strongly condemned by Democrats and some Republicans for this statement, daring to question the “sanctity” of the Constitution,
The New York Post published the following opinion piece by the Post Editorial Board on December 2:
“The Post’s reporting wasn’t just blocked, it was suppressed…
“Twitter was directly involved in tilting an election. Everyone could see it, but because they were desperate for Donald Trump to lose and Joe Biden to win, that the media barely made a peep. Even after Hunter Biden’s former business partner gave a public press conference backing up exactly what The Post had reported.
“After it became untenable to say the laptop wasn’t real, Twitter told us we could have our account back — we just had to delete the original Tweet. We could even put up a new Tweet linking to the Hunter Biden story, one that wouldn’t be censored, but we had to delete the original one.
“The logic behind this blackmail escaped us. The Post refused. It would be 17 days before Twitter finally backed down and unfroze our account.
“The bias was clear… And, by the way, nothing really changed afterward. Twitter went right back to censoring those who didn’t toe the line on COVID and any other number of topics… The Democratic National Committee and the Biden administration were in direct email contact with the Twitter content team, pointing them exactly to the Tweets they wanted destroyed.
“It took a very expensive change of ownership for these details to come to light, and for the promise of less censorship in the future. That’s why the left is losing their minds.”
In a related article, the New York Post wrote on December 3:
“Elon Musk half-delivered on his promise to tell all about Twitter’s censorship of the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 election. What was missing were details of specific warnings we know the FBI made to Twitter about a Russian ‘hack and leak operation’ involving Hunter during their weekly meetings with top executives of the social media giant in the days and weeks before The Post published its exclusive bombshell.
“We know that FBI Supervisory Special Agent Elvis Chan testified Tuesday in a lawsuit against the Biden administration brought by Republican attorneys that he organized those weekly meetings with Twitter and Facebook in San Francisco for as many as seven Washington-based FBI agents in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election…
“Musk reveals that a crucial player in Twitter’s censorship of The Post was former FBI general counsel James Baker, a central player in the Russia collusion hoax, who had become Twitter’s Deputy General Counsel…
“It is not known whether Musk has withheld material in Twitter’s records after an intense pressure campaign from President Biden, the White House, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and threats that Big Tech compatriots Apple and Google would banish Twitter from their app store.”
Let us sure hope that he did not, and that the entire ugly truth comes to light soon.
Newsmax reported on Tuesday, December 6, that “Musk fired deputy general counsel James Baker, a former counsel to FBI director James Comey, on Tuesday, following revelations that he was slow-walking the release of files regarding government collusion with the social media company to journalists Matt Taibbi and Bari Weiss…
“Over the weekend… it was [Weiss] who discovered that the person in charge of releasing the files was someone named Jim. When she called to ask ‘Jim’s’ last name, the answer came back: ‘Jim Baker.’… Taibbi adds that ‘news that Baker was reviewing the ‘Twitter files” surprised everyone involved, to say the least.’ On Tuesday, Musk tweeted, that ‘in light of concerns about Baker’s possible role in suppression of information important to the public dialogue, he was exited from Twitter today.’”
Good for Musk.
According to the Liberty Report, dated December 7, “The ‘former’ FBI Agent [Jim Baker] at the center of the bogus ‘Russiagate’ operation was brought on by Twitter’s previous management, where he played a key role in suppressing the Hunter Biden bombshell. Musk decided to release the internal communications of ‘old’ Twitter around the censorship and that same ‘former’ FBI agent [Jim Baker] was caught red-handed [allegedly] removing the evidence before it could be released.”
Breitbart wrote on December 3:
“Former top intelligence officials who signed an open letter suggesting the Hunter Biden laptop story was part of a Russian operation just weeks before the 2020 election were silent after internal Twitter emails acknowledged there was no evidence the story involved material that was illicitly obtained…
“Leon Panetta, a former CIA director and defense secretary, John Brennan, a former CIA director, Mike Hayden, a former CIA director, and Jim Clapper, a former director of national intelligence — who all once said The Post’s reporting had ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation,’ — declined or did not respond to request for comment about whether the latest disclosures had changed their opinion…
“Five days after questions were raised at Twitter about relying on a hacking justification to suppress the story, more than 50 former intelligence officials published an open letter on October 19, 2020, that argued that, based on their experience and expertise, the story came from the Russian government… The letter was also signed by former acting CIA Directors John McLaughlin and Michael Morell…”
At a very minimum, no confidence can be placed in their “experience and expertise.” That’s how politics are made and how “facts” are being fabricated. And when the truth is revealed, the culprits remain silent and go into hiding.
On December 5, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column in the Ron Paul Institute:
“The release, in coordination with truly independent journalist Matt Taibbi, demonstrated indisputably how politicians and representatives of ‘official Washington’ pressed the teams that were then in charge of censorship at Twitter to remove Tweets and even ban accounts that were guilty of nothing beyond posting something the power-brokers did not want the general public to read. Let’s not forget that many of those demanding Twitter censorship were US government officials who had taken an oath to the US Constitution and its First Amendment.
“It is important to understand that both US political parties were involved in pushing Twitter to censor information they didn’t like. There is plenty of corruption to go around. However, as the Twitter Papers demonstrated, vastly more Tweets were censored at the demand of Democratic Party politicians simply because Twitter employees on the censorship team were overwhelmingly Democratic Party supporters…
“Elon Musk himself openly stated before the release that, prior to his taking control of the company and engaging in mass firing, Twitter had been manipulating elections. So all those years we heard lies from the Washington elites that Russia was interfering in our elections when after all it was Twitter. Of course that raises the question about other large social media companies like Facebook. Will Mark Zuckerberg come clean about his own company’s election interference? Will anyone have the courage to demand that he do so?
“How did they get away with all of this? As another truly independent journalist, Glenn Greenwald, pointed out on the Tucker Carlson show the night the ‘Twitter Papers’ were released, while it was once controversial for the CIA to attempt to manipulate what Americans consume in the mainstream media, nowadays these outlets openly hire ‘former’ US intelligence leaders and officers as news analysts. CNN, MSNBC, Fox, and the rest of them all bring on ‘former’ members of the intelligence services to tell Americans what to think. ‘Big tech censorship is a critical tool of the national security state,’ Greenwald told Tucker. ‘Whenever anyone tries to do anything about it these former people from the CIA and the Pentagon and the rest jump up and say “we cannot allow you to restore free speech.”’
“This is a corruption scandal so massive that it is almost guaranteed to never be properly investigated. Government itself is among the most guilty and we know ‘government commissions’ are really about covering up rather than uncovering the crimes committed. But the truth is powerful. Some 58 years after the Warren Report whitewashed the assassination of President Kennedy, polls show that few Americans believe the ‘official’ narrative… No amount of lies can withstand the disinfectant of truth. Thanks to Elon Musk for his courage and we encourage him to continue.”
A massive corruption scandal indeed! But it is by no means the only one. For example, note our articles below regarding the alleged cover-up of the Chinese and US governments regarding COVID origins, as well as the Biden Administration’s granting immunity to a despot accused of murdering an American journalist.
Breitbart wrote on December 6:
“Former President Donald Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, was convicted of tax fraud and other financial crimes on Tuesday in the case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden continues to walk free, despite admitting in December 2020 — after the presidential election — that he was under federal investigation for possible tax violations linked to his foreign business activities.
“Trump’s real estate organization was convicted on all 17 counts on the second day of deliberation following the trial, where the Trump Organization was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks ‘such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars,’ the Associated Press reported.
“The organization could face up to a maximum of $1.62 million, which is a comparably small amount for the company’s size, but the AP noted that ‘the conviction might make some of its future deals more complicated.’ Overall, the conviction comes after New York prosecutors have spent the last three years investigating the former president and his businesses.
“Trump himself was not a target of the investigation or prosecution. The case against the company was based on the testimony from the Trump Organization’s former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg. Weisselberg testified in exchange for only having a five-month jail sentence after previously pleading guilty to charges that he manipulated the Trump Organization’s books as well as his own compensation package to reduce his taxes. Weisselberg refused pressure to testify against Trump as part of the plea deal.”
One could read between the lines…
Fox Business wrote on December 2:
“Biden signs [a] bill forcing rail unions to accept [an] agreement, averting [a] crippling strike… The agreement passed by Congress was approved by eight of 12 transportation unions involved in negotiations. The four dissenting unions, representing about 100,000 rail workers, said the deal was unfair because it included insufficient paid-sick leave time.
“They had asked for seven paid sick days, but Congress did not include their demand in the bill, despite an effort from progressive lawmakers and even some conservatives like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to amend the legislation.”
Senator Rand Paul did not vote for the bill, saying on Fox Business to Larry Kudlow: “Congress should not get involved in contracts.. Congress should not [be]dictating our will.. This is determined in the market place. The whole thing was wrong… The more Congress gets involved, the more the other side expects that to happen… Republican voters across the country are upset with the old establishment up here [in Washington].”
Kudlow totally agreed with Paul. Ronald Reagan had famously said about human governments:
“Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem… Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them… Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one… Politics I supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.”
The term “political prostitutes” would aptly apply.
NBC News reported on December 7:
“Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican football star Herschel Walker on Tuesday in Georgia’s Senate runoff election, handing President Joe Biden and his party a key win.
“Warnock’s victory will give Democrats an outright majority in the Senate [of 51 to 49 votes] after two years under a 50-50 divide, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes.”
With the House in the hands of Republicans and the Senate in the hands of Democrats, this now looks more and more like a stalemate in US politics.
Modern Diplomacy wrote on December 6:
“The current era is marked by fading trust in U.S. institutions, but confidence in one pillar has held up: the military. But now even that is eroding, and the question is whether the brass will get the message… The Reagan Institute releases an annual survey of public attitudes on national defense, and this year only 48% reported having ‘a great deal of confidence’ in the U.S. military… That’s down from 70% in 2018, and within the margin error of last year’s 45%. Some 52% also had reduced confidence in uniformed officers.
“General Mark Milley’s speech to Congress last year that he wanted to understand ‘white rage,’ in response to reasonable inquiries about whether cadets at West Point should be learning critical race theory, was a lapse in judgment. Many Americans think the military is no longer an institution that runs on excellence, merit and individual submission to a larger cause. The Pentagon denies this is a problem, but it surely is if half the public believes it.
“Americans on the left have their own reasons for declining confidence in the military: 46% cited right-wing extremism, even though this scourge has been wildly overstated… Some 75% in the Reagan survey viewed China as an enemy, up from 55% in 2018, and the percentage of those worried about Russia has doubled. Some 70% are concerned China might invade Taiwan within five years, and 61% support increasing the U.S. military’s Pacific footprint.”
The Bible says in Ezekiel 7:14 that when the trumpet sounds, no one in America will be willing to fight.
The Guardian wrote on December 6:
“A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman that claimed he conspired to kill journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the crown prince was entitled to sovereign immunity despite ‘credible allegations’ that he was involved in the murder. Judge John Bates, a US district court judge with a long history of presiding over cases involving national security, acknowledged ‘uneasiness’ in making the decision, but said that his hands were in effect tied by the Biden administration’s recent recommendation that Prince Mohammed be given immunity…
“The dismissal of the civil claim against Prince Mohammed and two of his close associates – Saud al-Qahtani and Ahmed al-Asiri – means the Saudi heir can now travel to the US and other jurisdictions freely. Although the case was not brought by US prosecutors with the power to arrest him, if it had been allowed to proceed, the case would have created a legal minefield for the crown prince and if he had been found guilty, could have put his financial interests in the US in jeopardy…
“Khashoggi’s brutal murder in 2018 created an international outcry. An investigation by Agnes Callamard, then the UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, found that Khashoggi had been the victim of a ‘deliberate, premeditated execution’ for which the state of Saudi Arabia was responsible under human rights law… In an angry statement to the Guardian, Callamard, who is now director general of Amnesty International, listed multiple parties who she claimed had ‘contributed to the impunity for the state murder of Jamal Khashoggi’, from Saudi Arabia itself, to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey, to Joe Biden…
“Judge Bates’s ruling comes years after then-candidate Biden promised that he would hold the Saudi crown prince accountable for the murder if he was elected president and suggested that Prince Mohammed ought to be treated as a ‘global pariah’ for his alleged role in the killing.
Shortly after entering the White House, it appeared that Biden would follow through on the campaign promise. His administration released an unclassified intelligence report that concluded that ‘MBS’, as he is known, had likely approved the killing. But no further sanctions against the crown prince or his vast business interests in the US followed… ‘The Executive Branch remains responsible for foreign affairs, including with Saudi Arabia, and a contrary decision on bin Salman’s immunity by this court would unduly interfere with those responsibilities all the same,’ the judge wrote.”
The New York Post added on December 6:
“Judge John Bates wrote in an opinion filed Tuesday that the suit… ‘must be dismissed at this time,’ despite a request by the plaintiffs’ attorneys that the judge challenge the Biden decision [to grant immunity to the Prince]. ‘As the branch of government primarily responsible for international affairs and diplomacy, the Executive Branch may be hindered or embarrassed should the judiciary second-guess its foreign immunity decisions,’ Bates wrote.
“‘Despite the Court’s uneasiness, then, with both the circumstances of bin Salman’s appointment and the credible allegations of his involvement in Khashoggi’s murder, the United States has informed the Court that he is immune, and bin Salman is therefore “entitled to head of state immunity . . . while he remains in office”’, Bates continued. ‘Accordingly, the claims against bin Salman will be dismissed based on head-of-state immunity,’ he added.”
Incredible! Politics galore!!! What kind of a “justice system” do we have where a potential murderer cannot even be held accountable? And so, as we have seen so often, Biden’s declarations and promises mean absolutely nothing.
The U.S. Sun wrote on December 8:
“BRITTNEY Griner has been released from prison in Russia. The WNBA star was released Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer [and “merchant of death”] Viktor Bout… Griner was held for months in a Russian prison after being convicted of drug charges. The one-for-one prisoner exchange was approved by president Joe Biden within the last week…
“The deal between the US and [Russia] leaves American corporate security executive and former Marine Paul Whelan imprisoned in Russia in what American officials have called fraudulent charges. Russian courts sentenced Griner to nine years in prison on August 4 on drug smuggling charges for bringing hashish oil into the country…
“Bout was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the states after being convicted by a federal court in 2011 for conspiracy to kill US citizens and officials.
“Biden addressed the nation on Thursday from the White House alongside Harris and Griner’s wife Cherelle, saying ‘this was a day we’d worked for for a long time.’… The president also spoke of Whelan, saying ‘we have not forgotten about’ him and pledged to not stop fighting for his release…
“[Viktor] Bout exploited the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s and ran a fleet of planes, shipping ammunition to war-torn countries in Africa. He’s also accused of supplying ammunition to brutal regimes and warlords. In 2011, Bout was convicted on charges of conspiring to kill American citizens and officers. He was also found guilty of providing resources in the form of weapons to a foreign terrorist organization.”
German Foreign Policy wrote on November 23:
“The trade war is expanding between the EU and the USA over investment programs worth hundreds of billions. According to reports, these programs threaten not only the production of electric cars and their batteries, but also the wind and hydrogen energy sectors – all the industrial sectors crucial to Berlin’s and the EU’s futuristic plans. This is caused by these US measures, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which promise hundreds of billions of US dollars in subsidies, however, granted only for products manufactured in the USA. To take advantage of this boost in subsidies, Washington is coaxing companies from Europe, but also from Japan and South Korea to relocate to the United States. Whereas France is calling for resolute countermeasures, Berlin is playing it down, restricting the EU to negotiations with the USA. According to economists, ‘a great number of industries of the future’ are ultimately at stake. Former Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser even warns of an ‘industrial and capital exodus from Europe’ to the USA…
“The purchase of electric cars is being subsidized with US $7,500 each. However, only cars produced in the USA are subsidized. This also applies to components, such as batteries. Even their raw materials must initially be mined and processed to 40 and – in the long term – to 80 percent in the United States, or alternatively in a country linked to the USA by a free trade agreement. This excludes China, but also Germany and the EU – not only in regards to individual products but also to complete supply chains…
“South Korea is… seriously affected. Hyundai, for example, has a few successful electric car models, with which the company is competing with the US’ Tesla. However, these are not being produced in the USA and therefore, are totally excluded from the subsidy programs. This has proven an embarrassment for South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-Yeol. Since he assumed office last May, he has supported Washington’s measures…, for example favoring US chip production, and thereby running the risk of tensions with China. Now he realizes that cooperation with the USA is economically costly for his country. There is enormous anger in Seoul…
“An amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act is considered out of the question, also because the US Congress must be in favor, which is even less conceivable now, given the results of the latest mid-terms, wherein the Republicans have won a majority in the House of Representatives. Theoretically, changes of the implementation regulations would be possible – but there is nothing to indicate that Washington would agree to anything beyond mere cosmetic adjustments..”
Biden could make changes via executive orders, but will he? After the debacle with the railroad strike [see above], how much more is he willing to do to risk his political survival within the Democratic Party?
Deutsche Welle wrote on December 3:
“German Finance Minister Christian Lindner warned Saturday over a brewing trade war between Europe and the United States… Smoother transatlantic ties since President Joe Biden succeeded Donald Trump have hit a stumbling block… ‘The USA is our partner of shared values, but at the same time there is an enormously protectionist economic policy,’ he told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper…
“Lindner said that the German economy, unlike France’s, is closely linked to the US market. He was referring to the US being a huge market for German automobiles, while French carmakers do not export there… Lindner’s remarks follow a call earlier this week by German Economy Minister Robert Habeck for a ‘robust’ response by Brussels to the new US subsidies.
“The EU is not Washington’s only ally frustrated at the new [IRA] subsidies. South Korea has also raised concerns that its carmakers will not be eligible for the US tax breaks. During a visit to the United States this week, French President Emmanuel Macron described Washington’s new tax breaks as ‘super aggressive’ and warned that the package would ‘divide the West.’
“Biden acknowledged that there were ‘glitches’ in the IRA which favors American-made climate technology, adding ‘there are tweaks we can make’ to satisfy allies, he said. Despite the conciliatory words, several Democratic lawmakers said they have no plans to revisit the legislation, which passed after more than a year of negotiations without any Republican support.”
EU to Buy Weapons as a Bloc
The Telegraph wrote on November 15:
“European Union countries must buy weapons as a bloc in the same way they negotiated for coronavirus vaccines, the EU’s foreign policy chief [Josep Borrell] said on Tuesday… Mr Borrell told EU defence ministers that the EU was now the world leader in the production of vaccines and that the plan could hand a similar boost to European arms companies… Joint purchasing will increase the interoperability of European armies because they would have similar technology, and the proposal could be seen as a step towards the… future prospect of an EU army…
“‘Member states need to immediately restore the readiness of their forces, address critical capability gaps and replenish depleted stocks,’ [Mr Borrell and Thierry Breton, the French commissioner for the internal market] said in a letter obtained by The Telegraph… The fully-fledged joint purchasing scheme is… called the European Defence Investment Programme. Once backed by the 27 EU member states, it will coincide with moves to accelerate ‘EU defence manufacturing capacity’.”
After Europe has become the world leader in the manufacture and sale of vaccines, Europe might soon become the world leader in the manufacture, purchase and sale of weapons, followed by the long-awaited establishment of an all-powerful European army.
DNYUZ reported on December 7:
“Special Forces in Germany have arrested 25 people suspected of supporting a domestic terrorism organization that planned to overthrow the government and form its own state, the federal prosecutor said on Wednesday.
“In early-morning raids carried out across the country, Special Forces officers detained people believed to be members and supporters of the group, which prosecutors said had been formed in the past year and was operating on the conviction that ‘Germany is currently ruled by members of a so-called deep state’ that needed to be overthrown. Prosecutors said two other people had been arrested outside Germany, one in Austria and another in Italy.
“The prosecutors described the group, which they did not identify, as being influenced by the ideologies of the conspiracy group QAnon and a right-wing German conspiracy group called the Reichsbürger, or Citizens of the Reich, which believes that Germany’s post-World War II republic is not a sovereign country but a corporation set up by the Allies who won the war.
“Many of those arrested had military training and included former German soldiers, including from the army of the former East Germany, and were known to have been heavily armed with weapons acquired illegally. The group was most likely formed in late 2021, the prosecutors said. Among those arrested was a man who tried to make contact with representatives of the Russian government over the plans, according to a statement from the federal prosecutor, but there were no indications that they had received a positive response from the Russian sources they had contacted…
“Its aim was ‘to overcome the existing state order in Germany and to establish its own by its own form of state, the outlines of which have already been worked out,’ using military means and violence against state representatives, the prosecutors said in the statement. The group’s plans included an armed attack on the German Parliament building, the Reichstag, the prosecutors said. The members had also formed a sort of shadow government that they intended to install if their plans were successful. ‘The members of the organization were aware that this goal can only be achieved through the use of military means and violence against state representatives,’ the prosecutor’s statement said. ‘This also included commissioning killings.’
“According to the members of the group, liberation is promised by the imminent intervention of the ‘Alliance,’ a technically superior secret alliance of governments, intelligence services and militaries of various states, including Russia and the United States, according to the prosecutors.”
Deutsche Welle added on December 7:
“The trigger for the raids was an investigation into another Reichsbürger group that had planned to kidnap German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach…
“Speaking at a press conference, German Attorney General Peter Frank said… the group had established a council that was intended to act as the government of the new state with some individuals already designated for ministerial roles. Among them, said the attorney general, was a former member of the Bundestag who was to take over the justice portfolio…”
“The movement argues that the German constitution prior to World War II was never properly nullified and that the formation of the former West Germany in 1949, and now reunified Germany, was therefore never valid.”
The Guardian added on December 7:
“… the [arrested] group’s alleged ringleader [is] Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuß von Greiz, who claims descent from a royal line that ruled for 800 years in Thuringia until the breakup of the German monarchy…
“The group, under the leadership of Heinrich XIII and a former commander of a paratrooper battalion, had been preparing for so-called ‘Day X’, on which about two dozen people were to storm the Reichstag building, home to the German parliament, and to handcuff and arrest MPs and parliamentary staff in an operation taking as its example the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.”
ntv wrote on December 7:
“The idea that he [Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuß von Greiz] and his comrades-in-arms actually took power in the country seems absurd. That ‘the people’ would have joined them, that the police and the Bundeswehr would have thrown off 70 years of democracy and happily offered themselves to a new monarchy – that was pipe dreams. But it would have shaken the republic to the core if crazy Reich citizens had broken into the Reichstag and shot people there…
“It is unknown how Reuss convinced his fellow campaigners. It’s also not clear if he was the driving force at all. It is not to be expected that he would have won over the masses. Not only because hardly anyone knew him to this day…”
At this point, we have only heard the allegations and accusations by the prosecution. Whether there was really a plot to overthrow the German government will have to be seen when more facts come to light.
Report 24 wrote on December 8:
“A brutal overthrow of the system was thwarted at the last second – so read the lurid reports of the mainstream press. Responsible are not radical climate activists, whose fantasies of overthrow are offered a worldwide stage, but so-called Reichsbürger: 3,000 police officers were allegedly needed to make 25 arrests in the pensioner milieu, oh no, in the ‘right swamp’. The narrative of the media has reached such a level of absurdity that it shakes up believing citizens and encourages them to ask critical questions…
“Then last night my mother called me, completely upset and deeply concerned. In her perception… Germany narrowly escaped an attempted coup by a heavily armed right-wing extremist army of Reichsbürgern controlled by Russia and Putin yesterday, which could only be stopped with great difficulty with almost 3,000 heavily armed special police forces…
“In my opinion, radicalism in whatever form is never good. But the totalitarian climate stickers that block ambulances and rescue vehicles and prevent people from getting to work, or the electricity and gas prices as well as the skyrocketing food prices or the children harmed by the government’s corona measures really worry me more than 25 or 50 people entertaining bizarre subversive fantasies in Telegram chat groups.”
Life Site News wrote on December 1:
“Dr. Roger Hodkinson said on a recent podcast that leaders in Canada and the rest of the world have perpetrated the ‘biggest kill ever in medicine’s history’ as a result of COVID lockdowns and vaccine coercion… As much as he said politicians are to blame, he said that ‘physicians are principally culpably because they have allowed [the] government to influence how they manage their patients, which has never, ever happened before.’
“Hodkinson was particularly harsh on physicians who looked ‘into the eyes of a pregnant woman and [told] her that this experimental product [vaccine] is safe.’ He added that any physicians ‘that has done that should be in jail.’… After becoming emotional relaying the horror of sick people dying without loved ones present due to COVID restrictions, he said, ‘What about our children? Now being vaccinated against something they don’t need, and being killed by it.’
“He called the push to jab kids ‘child sacrifice to appease these new gods’… ‘Child sacrifice didn’t work for the Aztecs, it didn’t make the rain fall, and it won’t save granny in the nursing home.’”
Just the News wrote on December 4:
“Former vice president of EcoHealth Alliance Dr. Andrew Huff says that he worked closely with the Wuhan Institute of Virology lab in China and he knows that COVID was genetically engineered and leaked. Huff says that COVID was ‘one of the greatest cover-ups in history’ and the ‘biggest US intelligence failure since 9/11.’
“Whistleblower Dr. Huff wrote a book titled The Truth About Wuhan in which he claims that the COVID-19 pandemic happened because of the U.S. government’s funding of genetic engineering of coronaviruses in China [and] that China knew from day one that this was a ‘genetically engineered agent.’
“Huff, an epidemiologist and army veteran who worked for EcoHealth Alliance from 2014 to 2016, said it was China’s gain-of-function experiments — and shoddy biosecurity — that led to the lab leak at the U.S.-funded lab. ‘The US government is to blame for the transfer of dangerous biotechnology to the Chinese,’ he told The Sun Online. Dr. Huff wrote in his book that ‘greedy scientists killed millions of people globally’ and the U.S. government helped cover it up.”
If proven true, they all should be punished.
On December 2, the Ron Paul Institute republished the following article by Professor Jonathan Turley:
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left many of us gob smacked this week when he denounced China for its crackdown on protesters. Many of us denounced Trudeau for his authoritarian crackdown on truckers protesting Canada’s Covid policies.
“Trudeau used terrorist laws to freeze bank accounts, treat truckers as terrorists and treat truckers as effective weapons. This is a continuation of Trudeau’s utter lack of self-awareness (and the media continuing lack of objectivity). He previously was praised for his stance against Cuba’s crackdown on protestors…
“Justin Trudeau, like his father, has never been a strong supporter of free speech. Indeed, he has more often championed its limitations…”
What a dangerous hypocrite! And what a despicable political press.
On December 1, the Rutherford Institute published the following alarming and disturbing article:
“… in an 8-3 vote on Nov. 29, 2022, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a proposal to allow police to arm robots with deadly weapons for use in emergency situations. This is how the slippery slope begins…. police now have the power to kill with immunity using remote-controlled robots…. It’s only a matter of time before these killer robots intended for use as a last resort become as common as SWAT teams.
“Frequently justified as vital tools necessary to combat terrorism and deal with rare but extremely dangerous criminal situations, such as those involving hostages, SWAT teams—which first appeared on the scene in California in the 1960s—have now become intrinsic parts of local law enforcement operations, thanks in large part to substantial federal assistance and the Pentagon’s military surplus recycling program, which allows the transfer of military equipment, weapons and training to local police for free or at sharp discounts…
“How long before these armed, militarized robots, authorized to use lethal force against American citizens, become as commonplace as SWAT teams and just as deadly?… how long before mistakes are made, technology gets hacked or goes haywire, robots are deployed based on false or erroneous information, and innocent individuals get killed in the line of fire?
“…We’re gaining ground fast on the kind of autonomous, robotic assassins that Terminator envisioned would be deployed by 2029… It’s the boiling frog analogy all over again, and yet there’s more at play than just militarization or suppressing dissent.
“There’s a philosophical underpinning to this debate over killer robots that we can’t afford to overlook, and that is the government’s expansion of its power to kill the citizenry. Although the government was established to protect the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of the American people, the Deep State has been working hard to strip us of any claims to life and liberty…
“Having claimed the power to kill through the use of militarized police who shoot first and ask questions later, SWAT team raids, no-knock raids, capital punishment, targeted drone attacks, grisly secret experiments on prisoners and unsuspecting communities, weapons of mass destruction, endless wars, etc., the government has come to view ‘we the people’ as collateral damage in its pursuit of absolute power… we are at a dangerous crossroads. Not only are our lives in danger. Our very humanity is at stake.”
Human governments with uncontrolled and unchecked powers are very dangerous.
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.
In the previous instalments, we looked at some reasons why both the Old Testament and the New Testament combine to make up the complete Word of God. We continue, in this final instalment, with some further reasons and conclude that anything less than the full Bible is insufficient for a true Christian.
The New Testament hadn’t been written until the end of the first century, which was after Jesus’ death. In the Old Testament, we find a number of Scriptures that prophesy of Jesus’ first coming. If we only relied on the New Testament, we wouldn’t have the prophecies to review and see how they were fulfilled. Let us review just a few of these Old Testament prophecies.
In Isaiah 7:14 we read: “Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
This was written about 700 years before the birth of Jesus and was brought to fruition as we read in the New Testament – please see Matthew 1:22-23.
In the 53rd chapter of Isaiah are remarkable prophecies:
Verse 5: “But He was wounded [pierced] for our transgressions, He was bruised [crushed] for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (Compare Matthew 8:16-17.)
Verse 7: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Compare Matthew 26:63, 27:12-14, Acts 8:32-33.)
Verse 9: “And they made His grave with the wicked—But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.” (Compare Matthew 27:57-60, 1 Peter 2:22.)
We read in Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
This was written over 800 years before Jesus was born and pinpoints the town where He was to be born – see Matthew 2:6 for the fulfilment of this prophecy.
The accuracy is unerring.
There are more references, but to repeat what was written in the previous point, there are at least a minimum of 414 references in the Old Testament referring to Jesus’ first coming. And there are many Old Testament Scriptures speaking about Christ’s second coming.
It is in the Old Testament that we find God giving Abraham promises. In Genesis 12:2-3 we read: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
We in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and other English-speaking nations are still, today, reaping the benefit of Abraham’s obedience to God; although the blessings now seem to be ebbing away due to man’s behaviour and lack of trust in Him. Please see our free booklet “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America” where on pages 6 and 7 we read about the “Birthright Blessings of Abraham Were Passed On” and “Blessings Withheld for Disobedience”. On page 9 is a section headed, “Throne of David to Continue Until the Return of Christ”. How would we have understood all of this vital information if we just had the New Testament?
On the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to the New Testament Church as recorded in Acts 2, Peter stood up and gave an address which referred to the prophet Joel (2:28-32) and to David in Psalm 16:8-11.
When Stephen, amongst others, was chosen as one of the seven deacons to serve, he was described as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). He was accused of blasphemy (Acts 6:11) and when he was challenged, he gave an address (Acts 7:2-53) which covered many Old Testaments events and which culminated in his death by stoning (Acts 7:57-60). This address would not have taken place, nor the reigning religious elite chided about his behaviour, had the Old Testament been unimportant and not necessary for the early Christian Church.
In Acts 8:26-38, we read that Philip preached Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch and referred to Isaiah 53:7-8.
In Acts 13:13-41, we read that the apostle Paul was reading from the Law and the Prophets.
Old Testament examples were given in 1 Corinthians 10. In verse 4 we read that “that spiritual Rock that followed them… was Christ”. Verse 6 of this chapter reads: “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” The apostle Paul gave the clear indication that the Old Testament was necessary for the fledgling Corinthian Church to learn lessons from.
In 2 Timothy 3:16 we learn an important lesson about the entire Bible: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers observes the following: “Every scripture inspired by God is also profitable for doctrine, for reproof… by making… ‘all Scripture’ the subject, and ‘given by inspiration of God’ the predicate, [Paul] declares positively the inspiration of all the Old Testament Scriptures, for this is what the Apostle must have referred to…”
It follows, therefore, that those who profess Christianity must have, and use, the Old Testament as part of their faith.
We learn further from Romans 15:4: “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
We read in Acts 19:8: “And he (Paul) went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.” This was also the subject of His teaching in Acts 20:25 and 28:30-31. In 28:23 we read: “So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. (See also Acts 26:22-23.)
We read in Acts 22:3 that Paul (previously Saul of Tarsus) said: “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.” It is, therefore, safe to assume that Paul, with his background and training, knew the Old Testament and applied this to Jesus Christ. He would be able to preach the whole counsel of God (compare Acts 20:27).
While the Old Testament was written thousands of years ago, we are still the recipients of that body of knowledge and, combined with the New Testament, is the information that God wants us to have.
Jude wrote in his short epistle in verse 3: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” This is part of the whole counsel of God.
CONCLUSION:
In our booklet “The Authority of the Bible,” we read the following on pages 4 and 5 under the heading “The Bible Proves Itself”:
“The answer to that question is simply, THE BIBLE PROVES ITSELF! Human interpretation is not the final authority when it comes to the Word of God! But that is exactly how those who selectively pick and choose what they want to believe, view the Bible. It is also the position taken by so many who simply reject the Bible.
“So, again, how can we know what is true and what is false?
“Jesus Christ made an utterly profound statement in answer to Pilate’s questioning: ‘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”’ (John 18:37). Jesus Christ Himself bore witness of the Word of God, and that included the Holy Scriptures—the Old Testament at that time. The prophecies of His birth, death and resurrection proved to be true!”
Jesus also quoted the Old Testament passages of the Bible when tempted by Satan three times in the New Testament (see Matthew 4:1-11). He responded to Satan each time with the phrase “It is written…” and then followed by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 and Deuteronomy 6:13. If we didn’t have and use the Old Testament, we wouldn’t realise that the references came from that source. By using these verses, Jesus confirmed the validity and necessity of the Old Testament.
Unfortunately, there are those who acknowledge and use the Old Testament but they “believe that we don’t necessarily have to take everything in there as literal and factual history, and we can consider other options to interpret the Old Testament.” As we have said so many times, if there are errors in the Bible, then it cannot be trusted, and then we cannot believe that God’s Word is infallible.
With such a weight of evidence showing how the whole Bible is necessary to understand the creation of man, promises made to Abraham right down to the present time, prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament, being fulfilled in the New Testament, and the whole plan of God – and much more – there can surely be no disputing that the Old Testament is vital and necessary.
The evidence that we have reviewed in this series is but a small selection to prove the point that the whole Word of God must be used to understand, as much as we are able and what has been revealed to us, what God has in store for those who are obedient to His Will and live a life pleasing in His sight and which will lead to eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)
compiled by Dave Harris
A Tech Team meeting was conducted via Google Meets on December 4, 2022. Hosted by Eric Rank, discussions centered on our ongoing ad campaign featuring our booklet, “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People.” We continue to receive requests from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and other areas. In fact, we have had to reprint this booklet twice. We also began planning an additional ad offering for another booklet. This coincides with a similar ad campaign directed primarily to European German speakers.
“Gott der Vater ist der Höchste,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “God the Father Is the Highest.”
“Wie ein Mann gegen die Welt,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Marc Voeller, is now posted. Title in English: “Like One Man Against the World.”
“Erst denken, dann handeln,” the sermon presented last Sabbath in Germany by Michael Link, is now posted. Title in English: “First Think, Then Act.”
“Will the Church of God Fight in War?—Comments on News and Prophecy, December 3, 2022,” is the title of a message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
In addition to discussing the deeper significance of the bi-partisan passing of a law by Congress and President Biden’s signing the same, prohibiting railroad unions to strike, we address the biblical warning for Laodicean Christians not to fight in war, while emphasizing the fact that many will do just that.
“Our Unique Talents,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:
Each one of us is blessed with unique talents which God has given us to use. There are examples in the Bible of individuals who had specific talents for God’s purpose.
“Shepherds and Sheep,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:
Why does the Bible use Shepherds and Sheep extensively throughout its pages? What can we learn by studying what it says about these creatures and the people who were to tend them? How can we learn to become better in both regards so that God can use us perfectly in all ways?
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, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson
Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank
Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD, and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.
While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.
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Breitbart wrote on November 23:
“A national freight rail strike is viewed as increasingly inevitable as four rail worker labor unions have rejected a tentative agreement with rail companies… a strike [could] take effect early next month [by December 5 or December 9]… American consumers could be plagued with far-reaching economic turmoil, and Congressional intervention would become increasingly likely…
“Biden and his fellow pro-union Democrats in Congress face a tough political predicament…
“Rail companies have estimated that some $2 billion daily would bleed from the American economy during a strike… Railroads haul about 40% of the nation’s freight each year… if a strike drags on for a month some 700,000 jobs would be lost as manufacturers who rely on railroads shut down, prices of nearly everything would increase even more and the economy could be thrust into a recession.
“And although some businesses would try to shift shipments over to trucks, there aren’t nearly enough of them available… 467,000 additional trucks a day would be needed to handle everything railroads deliver. The ability to transport crucial chemicals, packaged food for humans, food for livestock, and retail goods would be greatly undermined as families get ready for Christmas and Hanukkah.”
PBS and AP wrote on November 22:
“It wouldn’t take long for the effects of a rail strike to trickle through the economy. Many businesses only have a few days’ worth of raw materials and space for finished goods. Makers of food, fuel, cars and chemicals would all feel the squeeze, as would their customers. That’s not to mention the commuters who would be left stranded because many passenger railroads use tracks owned by the freight railroads…
“Chemical manufacturers and refineries will be some of the first businesses affected, because railroads will stop shipping hazardous chemicals about a week before the strike deadline to ensure that no tank cars filled with dangerous liquids wind up stranded… the chlorine that water treatment plants rely on to purify water, which they might only have about a week’s supply of on hand, would become hard to get. It would be hard for manufacturers to make anything out of plastic without the chemicals that are part of the formula.
“Consumers will also pay more for gasoline if refineries shut down either because they can’t get the ingredients they need to make fuel or because railroads aren’t available to haul away byproducts like sulfur…
“About 30 percent of all packaged food in the U.S. is moved by rail… That percentage is much higher for denser, heavier items like cans of soup.
“Some products, like cereal, cooking oils and beer, have entire operations built around rail deliveries of raw ingredients like grain, barley and peanuts, along with shipments of finished products. Those companies typically keep only two to four days’ worth of raw ingredients on hand because it’s expensive to store them… and grocers also keep a limited supply of products on hand… big food companies don’t like to discuss the threat of a rail strike because of worries about product shortages can lead to panic buying…
“Any disruption in rail service could threaten the health of chickens and pigs, which depend on trains to deliver their feed, and contribute to higher meat prices… a rail strike now would hit pork and chicken producers in the southern U.S. hardest, because their local supply of corn and soybeans from this year’s harvest is likely exhausted and they’d have to ship feed by truck, dramatically increasing costs…
“Retailers are also concerned about online orders. Shippers like FedEx and UPS use rail cars that hold roughly 2,000 packages in each car…
“Drivers are already paying record prices and often waiting months for new vehicles because of the production problems in the auto industry related to the shortage of computer chips in recent years. That would only get worse if there is a rail strike, because roughly 75 percent of all new vehicles begin their journey from factories to dealerships on the railroad. Trains deliver some 2,000 carloads a day filled with vehicles.
“And automakers may have a hard time keeping their plants running during a strike because some larger parts and raw materials are transported by rail.”
The Prospect wrote on November 23:
“Congress could end talk about strikes and worker lockouts by passing a joint resolution, under the Railway Labor Act of 1926, which is then sent to President Biden’s desk. If he signs, the resolution could force workers to accept the contract approved by the Presidential Emergency Board, the board set up by the president to mediate the dispute. If that happens, it would run counter to Biden’s repeated commitment to being the ‘most pro-union administration in American history.’…
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 led to John Carroll’s order to the National Guard to put down the strike, and Baltimoreans attacked the troops. Street battles between the striking workers and the Maryland militia left 10 dead and 25 wounded. By the end of August 1877, the strike had ended primarily due to federal government intervention, the use of state militias, and the employment of strikebreakers by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company.
Launched on July 1, 1922, by seven of the sixteen railroad labor organizations in existence at the time, the strike continued into the month of August before collapsing. A sweeping judicial injunction by Judge James Herbert Wilkerson effectively brought the strike to an end on September 1, 1922.
The last time US railroads went on strike was in 1992. That strike lasted two days before Congress intervened. The Los Angeles Times reported at that time, on June 26, 1992:
“Congress and the White House moved with rare speed Thursday night to end a crippling two-day nationwide rail shutdown that already had begun to threaten the economy by forcing layoffs at coal mines and auto assembly plants. The House and Senate passed emergency legislation barring strikes and lockouts by large margins…
“Bush signed the legislation early today. Many lawmakers objected strongly that the action was anti-labor, but anxiety about the impact of a prolonged stoppage on the still-fragile economy overrode those concerns.”
All of this poses a no-win situation for the Biden Administration. Please view our new program, “War and the Railroad Strike–Comments on News and Prophecy, November 26, 2022.”
The Huffington Post wrote on November 29:
“The party of paid family leave finds itself in a very awkward position.
“Congressional Democrats are moving toward a vote that would override the wishes of unionized rail workers by imposing a new contract with the nation’s major rail carriers. The memberships of four out of twelve rail unions — including the largest — have voted against the proposal sending their leaders back to the bargaining table for a better deal. But top Democrats are planning to force the contract on them through legislation in order to head off a massive rail strike in early December that could hurt the economy.
“President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass a bill enforcing the tentative contract… House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) endorsed Biden’s plan… [So did Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)].
“To make things even more awkward for the party, workers have been holding out largely for paid sick days and better quality-of-life provisions in their contracts — issues for which Democrats fashion themselves as champions… Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called the omission of paid sick days ‘outrageous’ and suggested he will push for an amendment to the bill providing more leave…”
The New York Post added on November 29:
“Rail workers unions blasted President Biden on Monday after he pressed Congress to force the organized labor groups to accept a tentative agreement in order to avert a strike. ‘Joe Biden blew it,’ Railroad Workers Union treasurer Hugh Sawyer said in a press release… ‘He had the opportunity to prove his labor-friendly pedigree to millions of workers by simply asking Congress for legislation to end the threat of a national strike on terms more favorable to workers. Sadly, he could not bring himself to advocate for a lousy handful of sick days. The Democrats and Republicans are both pawns of big business and the corporations,’ Sawyer added…
“The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, the third-largest rail union in the US, said in a statement Tuesday that it was ‘deeply disappointed’ with Biden’s decision to appeal to Congress to force an agreement…
“Organized labor is one of the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituencies…”
That may not continue for long.
Newsmax added on November 29:
“The National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) and The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) apparently have no plans of relenting from its respective bargaining positions… the NRLC and BMWED didn’t share the Biden administration’s optimism for concocting a labor resolution within the next 10 days.
“Congressional legislation regarding a railway strike ‘denies railroad workers their right to strike while also denying them of the benefit they would likely otherwise obtain if they were not denied their right to strike,’ the statement reads. ‘Additionally, passing legislation to adopt tentative agreements that exclude paid sick leave for railroad workers will not address rail service issues. Rather, it will worsen supply chain issues and further sicken, infuriate, and disenfranchise railroad workers as they continue shouldering the burdens of the railroads’ mismanagement.’”
Breitbart wrote on November 30:
“Rubio ripped Biden… stating his belief that the parties should negotiate new terms of the contract without congressional involvement and pledged he would only vote for a deal that union members support. ‘Just because Congress has the authority to impose a heavy-handed solution does not mean we should. It is wrong for the Biden Administration, which has failed to fight for workers, to ask Congress to impose a deal the workers themselves have rejected,’ said the senior senator from Florida…
“Sen. John Thune (R-SD) [the No. 2 Senate Republican] shared the same sentiment that Congress should not intervene, stating the matter is the Biden administration’s ‘responsibility.’ In calling on Congress to impose a contract, Biden, a pro-union Democrat, has effectively disregarded the lingering sick time concerns of union members in fear of substantial economic consequences, which would have further negative impacts on Americans who have already been grappling with inflation not seen for decades.
“Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) called the idea of congressional intervention insane and said he ‘won’t support it.’”
On Thursday, Congress DID intervene, totally ignoring some of the dissenting voices… See the next article.
Newsmax reported on December 1:
“The Senate passed a bill to bind rail companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached between the rail companies and union leaders in September. That settlement had been rejected by some of the 12 unions involved, creating the possibility of a strike beginning Dec. 9.
“The Senate vote was 80-15. It came one day after the House voted to impose the agreement. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature…
“The House passed the legislation enacting September’s labor agreement with broad bipartisan support. A second measure adding seven paid sick days for rail workers passed on a mostly party-line vote in the House, but it fell eight votes short of a 60-vote threshold needed for passage in the Senate.”
This move might very well backfire.
Express wrote on November 26:
“Putin’s strategy of using Russia’s gas supplies against the West is starting to sow dissent among NATO as top European officials take aim at Joe Biden, accusing him of ‘profiting from this war’. Multiple high-ranking officials from the bloc have accused the US president of capitalising on the opportunity represented by the invasion and jacking up the price of weapons and gas…
“Speaking to Politico, a senior EU official said: ‘The fact is, if you look at it soberly, the country that is most profiting from this war is the US because they are selling more gas and at higher prices, and because they are selling more weapons.’ Another said: ‘We are really at a historic juncture.’ The official added that the combination of trade disruption and high energy prices jeopardises the US’s reputation with countries on the other side of the Atlantic.
“They said: ‘America needs to realise that public opinion is shifting in many EU countries.’ Emmanuel Macron has also accused the US of not being ‘friendly’ in its approach to the EU. The EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, meanwhile, called on the US to acknowledge the impact they were having on the European economy…
“However, the US has refused to concede that they are impacting the price of gas in the EU… The EU has turned to the US as an alternative to Russian gas, in order to avoid indirectly funding Putin’s war and giving him leverage over them for the crucial resource. However, Europeans say the price they are facing in the US is nearly four times as high as the same fuel costs in America.
“This row is compounded by a surge in orders for US-made military gear, as the EU’s supply of weapons to Ukraine leaves them running low themselves… [According to the Daily Mail, “… the Americans continue to send more, with the cost of supplying Ukraine to the US now at over $19billion as another $400million was added earlier this week.”]
“Germany’s economy minister called on Washington to show more ‘solidarity’ by reducing their energy costs… An EU diplomat added: ‘It’s not good, in terms of optics, to give the impression that your best ally is actually making huge profits out of your troubles.’
“The high gas prices add to existing tensions over Mr Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a huge tax, climate, and healthcare package for the US – but which caused one EU official to question whether Washington was ‘still our ally’. Fears are rising of a transatlantic trade war as a result of the package, which EU officials say put European industries at risk of collapse.
“Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher said the IRA is ‘very worrying’, adding: ‘The potential impact on the European economy is very big.’ An official from France’s foreign affairs ministry described the IRA as ‘discriminatory subsidies that will distort competition.’ Tonino Picula, the European Parliament’s lead person on the transatlantic relationship added: ‘The US is following a domestic agenda, which is regrettably protectionist and discriminates against US allies.’”
The Daily Mail added on November 26:
“European nations, now dependent upon the U.S. and its gas supply, say they are fretting over the impacts of the $369 billion green subsidies [mainly for products made in the USA] and what it will look like for them after already being squeezed on gas prices.’…
“The nearly $400 billion subsidy ‘scheme’ introduced in the Inflation Reduction Act incentivizes Americans into buying products that are both U.S. made and energy efficient. The IRA provides tax credits for businesses and individuals who purchase ‘green’ products, including wind turbines and elective vehicles. The credits are mostly available, however, for products made in the United States.”
Europeans are getting increasingly upset with America.
In regard to a potential trade war, caused by the IRA, The Associated Press wrote on November 25:
“The European Union and the United States are treading precariously close to a major trans-Atlantic trade dispute at a time when the two Western giants want to show unity in the face of challenges from Russia and China. EU trade ministers on Friday insisted they would be forced to respond if Washington stuck to all the terms of its Inflation Reduction Act, which is favorable to local companies through subsidies and, according to the EU, will unfairly discriminate against its firms that want to compete for contracts.
“‘Nobody wants to get into a tit-for-tat or subsidy race. But what the U.S. has done really isn’t consistent with the principles of free trade and fair competition,’ Irish Trade Minister Leo Varadkar said. ‘What we are asking for is fairness. We want and expect European companies and exports to be treated in the same way in the U.S. as American companies and exports are treated in Europe,’ EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said.
“And beyond the European Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the 27 member nations on trade issues, the concerns are largely shared in EU national capitals, too. ‘All the member states are concerned,’ said Czech Trade Minister Jozef Sikela…
“Trade disputes have been a red line for decades in trans-Atlantic relations, highlighted by fights over aircraft subsidies and steel exports and affecting everything from hormone-treated beef to liquor exports…”
When Biden began to occupy the White House, many Europeans thought that the relationship between Europe and America would improve. The opposite has been occurring.
Deutsche Welle wrote on November 30:
“French President Emmanuel Macron is on a state visit to Washington. This week’s visit should mark the end of a quarrel between the two countries…”
Dream on, Deutsche Welle.
Politico wrote on November 30:
“It’s gotten cold in Europe, the economy is tanking and the natives are getting restless. There’s only one answer: Blame America. Pointing across the Atlantic has long been a favorite diversionary tactic for Europe’s political elites when things start to get dicey on the Continent. Whether it’s the war in Ukraine (Washington shouldn’t have expanded NATO), natural disasters (too many American SUVs fueling climate change) or the demise of French as a lingua franca (cultureless Hollywood), America is inevitably the culprit.
“… While Europeans are understandably upset that their gas prices are four times what they are in the U.S., no one told them to make themselves dependent on Russian gas or to switch off perfectly functioning nuclear power plants (in fact, Washington told them for years not to)… While American defense contractors stand to benefit from replacing stocks and from stronger demand for arms among NATO allies, so too should their European counterparts. Yet therein lies the rub: European firms should benefit as much as Americans, but don’t. The main reason is that Europe has underinvested in its defense industry...
“The Europeans fear the generous ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ subsidies will undermine their industry and are threatening a trade war. The inconvenient truth, however, is that Europeans are having difficulty getting their own companies to invest at home because governments have placed more emphasis on subsidizing household gas bills than helping the region’s industry weather the crisis… it’s difficult not to conclude that Europe’s blame game is really about something else — envy…
“In Germany, a book titled ‘Ami, It’s Time to Go!’ (Ami is German slang for Americans) has become a bestseller. The author is Oskar Lafontaine, a former finance minister who once led the Social Democrats before breaking with the party. ‘We have to free ourselves from the tutelage of the U.S.A.,’ Lafontaine writes, describing America as the root of most evil and arguing that Europe needs to blaze its own path….”
For more information, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Europe and USA on Collision Course”
Indian Punchline wrote on November 30:
“The meet-up location of NATO foreign ministers on November 29-30— Bucharest — was where ten years ago, former US President George W. Bush persuaded America’s transatlantic partners that Ukraine and Georgia should one day join their military alliance. The foreign ministers duly ‘reaffirmed’ that decision yesterday and left it at that.
“However, their statement on the conflict in Ukraine emphatically stated that the NATO ‘will never recognise’ Russia’s incorporation of four Ukrainian regions… [But] there are… growing signs of disunity on [the] Ukraine issue among the US’ European allies and between the latter and the Biden Administration… Macron still hopes to be the western leader to accept President Putin’s surrender terms and go down in history books, but in reality his credibility is in shatters in Europe and Atlanticist circles in particular, and even within France.
“Europe’s number one priority at this juncture… ought to be its strategic autonomy to act in its own interests. But that requires deep thinking as to what is it that Europe wants to be autonomous about… Europe… is struggling with its demons…
“Russian forces are outnumbering Ukraine’s and Russian fortifications have been significantly strengthened… the narrative of victory in Kiev — that Ukraine is winning the war and is about to capture Crimea, etc. — is becoming unsustainable for much longer… The regime-change-in-Russia propaganda is not going to wither away even under the emerging stark realities of the… ground situation in Ukraine…”
It is difficult to decide whom to believe these days regarding the reports on the war situation in Ukraine.
The Guardian wrote on November 27:
“As blacked-out Moldova warned last week, another huge humanitarian and migrant crisis looms, akin to that of last spring. It will challenge every EU country. Yet as the strain of multiple Ukraine-related problems begins to tell, European support may be faltering at this critical juncture. The war and its atrocities are being normalised and, increasingly, discounted… Nine months in, western public opinion is dulled, deadened and desensitized… People are no longer shocked, nor even greatly surprised. They feel powerless. The majority still wants Ukraine to prevail. But victory is not expected soon… war fatigue teeters towards apathy…
“As the war becomes a familiar fact of daily life, and negative fallout spreads, will public support soften further?… The Ukrainian people are a formidable force. They have shown they can beat their enemies. But should they fear their friends? A weakening of US and European support, leaving Ukraine out in the cold, is perhaps the most dismaying hazard they face. Putin is counting on it.
“Might the peoples of the west, for the sake of a quiet life, really get ‘fed up’ with the war to the point where they are ready to ignore or even tolerate mass murder, war crimes and the evisceration of a sovereign nation as the new normal? It’s democracy’s biggest test. Every day, it gets harder in Ukraine. One thing is certain: it’s going to be a long winter.”
Ultimately, Russia and Ukraine will unite.
Fox News wrote on November 27:
“President Biden’s administration is scrambling to track the nearly $20 billion in military aid it has sent to Ukraine as Republicans warn of impending audits when they take control of the House in January.
“Kevin McCarthy has said his party will not be giving Ukraine a ‘blank check’ to fend off Russia’s invasion. A potential audit would determine how much, if any, of the U.S. aid is ending up in the wrong hands…
“The Republican push to ramp up oversight enjoys some bipartisan support in Congress… The lawmakers agree that current monitoring efforts appear woefully inadequate, with the Biden administration inspecting just 10% of the 22,000 weapons the U.S. has provided to Ukraine between February and November 1… U.S. allies in Europe have expressed hope that Republican skepticism of Ukraine aid will not lead to a widespread cutting of funding, however…
“‘No one in Republican leadership has called for an end to aid for Ukraine,’ Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said Monday. ‘People on the Republican side are saying, “Why do we have to pass a $40 billion package to send $8 billion to Ukraine?”’”
There have been many concerns that the weapons and the money being sent to Ukraine are ending up in Russian hands.
The Times wrote on November 20:
“As Vladimir Putin’s army bombarded Ukrainian soldiers trapped in the Azovstal steelworks in May, the tanker Mariner III pulled out of the south Russian port of Tuapse carrying nearly 200,000 barrels of oil. After five days at sea, the 170m (558ft) ship stopped alongside a bigger tanker, the Greek-owned Marinoula, in the waters off Kalamata, Greece. Over the next 36 hours, the two vessels were connected by large rubber pipes while the Marinoula siphoned off some of the Mariner’s cargo. After the ship-to-ship transfer, the Marinoula sailed to the UK, where it docked at Immingham in Lincolnshire and, on June 6, offloaded about 250,000 barrels of oil.
“Official records, however, declare that the UK received no oil from Russia in June or in July. The shipment was classified and reported correctly under British reporting protocols and there was no breach of maritime rules. The fuel was one of at least 39 cargos of Russian oil, worth more than £200 million, to have arrived at British ports since the invasion of Ukraine but to have been classified as imports from elsewhere. Almost £80 million of this was in June and July. In total, £778 million of Russian oil has arrived at ten UK ports since March…
“One arrived last week. On Wednesday, the 244m Delta Pioneer docked at Immingham, carrying oil directly from Russia. According to Refinitiv data analysed by Global Witness, a research group, the vessel brought half a million barrels of fuel to the port. It is not yet known how the fuel will be classified. Official records show that Russian oil worth about £23 million that has arrived at Immingham since March has been recorded as imports from Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
“The Sunday Times has tracked four vessels that have carried more than a million barrels of Russian oil to Immingham. Two of the cargos involved ship-to-ship transfers, while a third brought Russian oil from Rotterdam. At least 13 shipments, including the Marinoula’s, arrived in June and July. The east London port of Thamesport has received £130 million of oil from Russia since March. These were classified as imports from Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands…
“The import of Russian oil to the UK is legal until December 5, when all imports will be barred… However, maritime experts say the way the UK registers imports, as well as the increased use of ship-to-ship transfers, will make it difficult for the UK to sanction Russian oil… it is the country of dispatch that is used to measure the nationality of an import, not the country where it was produced. This means a cargo of Chinese-made goods could be registered as being from Germany if it were imported to the UK by a German firm…
“British ports accepted more than £78 million of Russian oil in June. These were reported as imports from the Netherlands, Estonia, Poland or Belgium. A further £1.5 million of Russian oil arrived at UK ports in July and was logged as imports from France, the Netherlands, Germany and Latvia…”
Whenever greed and money are involved, “loopholes” are found.
AFP wrote on November 29:
“For the first time, less than half of the population in England and Wales identifies as Christian, according to census data released Tuesday. The 10-yearly census carried out in 2021 showed rapid growth for the Muslim population, but ‘no religion’ was the second most common response after Christian, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
“In an increasingly secular age, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said it was no ‘great surprise’ that the Christian proportion was declining over time…
“Some 27.5 million people or 46.2 percent in England and Wales described themselves as Christian, down 13.1 percentage points from 2011. ‘No religion’ rose by 12 points to 37.2 percent or 22.2 million, while Muslims stood at 3.9 million or 6.5 percent of the population, up from 4.9 percent before.
“The next most common responses were Hindu (1.0 million) and Sikh 524,000), while Buddhists overtook Jewish people (273,000 to 271,000)…”
Christianity Today had written on December 23, 2016:
“The last 18 months may have significantly dented the UK’s faith in God, a poll for The Times indicates. The proportion of people who say they believe in God has dropped four points from 32 per [cent] in February last year to 28 per cent now… Meanwhile those saying they actively do not believe in any form of God or higher power has gone up five points…
Express had written on October 16, 2012:
“Nearly 60 per cent of people believe we are not alone in the universe and that alien life-forms exist, a new poll has found. While a report carried out by the University of Chicago claims that just 37 per cent of us believe in God.”
There could be, of course, a link between denying the existence of God and believing in the ungodly theory of evolution and the existence of aliens.
Express wrote on November 30:
“[Prime Minister] Rishi Sunak has been accused of ‘completely’ underestimating the global threats facing the UK, as Britain embarks on ‘swathing’ cuts to the army. Chair of the Defence Select Committee Tobias Ellwood told Express.co.uk that the world has ‘moved into a dangerous era’, warning that the British army is ‘overstretched’.
“Mr Ellwood has urged Mr Sunak to commit to spending three percent of GDP on defence, one percent more than the UK currently spends… ‘We need to see those swathing cuts which were outlined in the last defence review reversed. Cuts to our tanks, ships and planes, as well as our troop numbers… “
The Guardian wrote on November 25:
“Angela Merkel has insisted that her position as a lame duck in the last months of her time in office made it more or less impossible for her to influence the behaviour of Vladimir Putin. The former German chancellor appeared both defensive and quietly defiant about her inability to change the course of the Russian president’s decision-making in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine in February…
“‘I no longer had the power to push my ideas through because everyone knew “she’ll be gone by autumn”’ she said [during an interview with Der Spiegel], describing how she had tried to establish a round of European talks after a meeting in the summer of 2021 between the US president, Joe Biden, and Putin. ‘Had I been standing again in the September I’d have kept drilling down, but … at my final meeting in Moscow [with Putin and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov], the feeling was clear: from a political power point of view, you’re finished. For Putin it is only power that counts.’
“In her interviews with Alexander Osang, which took place over a period of a year and in various locations, Merkel insisted that her stance on the Minsk agreement – which brought a ceasefire after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula – had been right. Key points of the Minsk peace talks, including disarmament and supervision by an international body, were never followed through. But Merkel said the agreement had nevertheless helped buy Kyiv time to arm itself better against the Russian military.
“According to Osang, she repeatedly implied that she felt misunderstood over what she had tried to achieve as German leader, facing as she now does a barrage of accusations over some of her choices, such as her decision to block Ukraine’s admission to Nato in Bucharest in 2008, seen by many as having harmed its ability to defend itself. Her refusal to acknowledge her mistakes in allowing Germany to become ever more dependent on Russian gas supplies is another major criticism.
“Merkel also appeared to be loosely comparing her behaviour to that of Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister associated with the flawed policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler by allowing him to expand the territory of Nazi Germany in the 1930s…
“Merkel added it was unfair to suggest she had not paid Ukraine enough attention in 2013 and 2014…
“Among the anecdotes she relays in a wide-ranging interview in which she is reflective and sometimes gloomy about her time in office, are encounters with the Queen – though Merkel said she was never able to establish what the British monarch thought about Brexit – and a G7 meeting with Boris Johnson, who she said had been attempting to undermine the Northern Ireland protocol…
“She had also watched the Queen’s funeral on television, and taken an interest in many of the guests she had recognised, including Tony Blair, whom Osang said she referred to as a ‘great political talent who had lost his reputation’ over the Iraq war…
“Merkel said she had no regrets about not standing for office again, after 16 years at the helm. ‘Somebody new was needed. Domestically it was high time and from a foreign policy perspective… (there were) so many things we tried again and again, but were not moving a millimetre on. Not just over Ukraine, but also Transnistria, Moldova, Georgia, Abkhazia, Syria and Libya. It was time for a new approach.’
“She said she sometimes woke in the night and worried about many of the dramatic events taking place in the world. ‘I think about… how the horror disappears as the eye witnesses die. And the spirit of reconciliation also disappears.’”
Germany’s “new approach” can be seen in its current government—arguably the most incompetent government Germany has ever had since World War II. And Merkel’s wrong appeasement policies over many years towards Russia and Germany’s dependency on Russian oil can by no means be ignored.
JTA wrote on November 25:
“Itamar Ben-Gvir… will head Israel’s police forces, under the terms of a deal inked with Benjamin Netanyahu early Friday.
“The deal would expand the ministry of internal security… into the ministry of national security and would also give Ben-Gvir authority over border police in Palestinian territories...
“In the role, Ben-Gvir will have the power to carry out some of his long-held wishes, including loosening rules so that officers can open fire on Palestinians who throw stones and expanding the ability of Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, the Jerusalem site that is home to the Al-Aqsa mosque.
“Ben-Gvir… has ignited conflict by accompanying Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, where Jewish prayer has been strictly limited… Twice convicted of incitement in Israeli courts, Ben-Gvir has also called for annexing large parts of the West Bank and for deporting Arabs who are not loyal to Israel… The Biden administration is considering refusing to meet with Ben-Gvir…
“Netanyahu is still working to finalize an agreement with Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionist party. Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to give Smotrich authority over Israel’s administration of the West Bank…”
This will undoubtedly lead to more friction between Israel and the USA and most other countries, especially Europe.
USA Today wrote on November 25:
“Tigray, Eritrea and Ethiopia’s 2-year-long civil war has killed more people than the war in Ukraine, yet nobody’s talking about it… An estimated 383,000 civilians died in Tigray between November 2020 and August 2022…
“Ethiopia is the oldest state in sub-Saharan Africa and the only state in Africa that has never been colonized. It has more than 2,000 years of history. It is where the oldest biblical texts have been found. Various forms of Pentecostal Christianity are widely followed in Ethiopia, including by [Prime Minister Abiy] Ahmed, who uses religious terminology in his speeches to explain his own power. He claims he has a divine mandate…”
FP wrote on June 18, 2022 about Ahmed:
“An ancient Christian imperialism is resurging in Ethiopia today under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. This archaic vision promises to unify Ethiopia and restore its divine glory. But it appears to be shattering Ethiopia and fueling catastrophic suffering.
“Its core belief is that Ethiopia is a Christian nation created and destined by God for greatness under Christian leadership. Today it is supercharging enmity and silencing critical voices calling for the end of war, genuine dialogue, and an inclusive Ethiopia where diverse people can belong together…
“Abiy became Ethiopia’s first Evangelical prime minister. His father was Muslim, his mother Orthodox, and Abiy himself converted to Pentecostalism in his 20s. (In Ethiopia, Protestantism, Evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism are overlapping Christianities.) Abiy was ecstatically hailed by many Ethiopians—especially Evangelicals—as a messiah, as a new ‘Moses’ or ‘King David’ who would save Ethiopia from disintegration.
“In an early speech, Abiy announced himself as Ethiopia’s ‘seventh king,’ a reference to his Orthodox mother’s prophecy over him as a child. This self-presentation powerfully evoked the ancient history of Ethiopia’s Christian imperialism and the promise of Ethiopia’s restored greatness…”
Ethiopia should be watched.
Thomson/Reuters wrote on November 25:
“Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that China would be willing to work together with North Korea for regional and global peace, stability and prosperity, North Korea’s state media KCNA reported on Saturday, citing Xi’s letter to Kim.
“KCNA did not mention North Korea’s recent missile launches that have heightened tensions around the Korean peninsula following joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.”
The Associated Press reported on November 25:
“Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Cuban counterpart [Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez] pledged mutual support over their fellow communist states’ ‘core interests’… China generally defines core interests as the defense of its economic and political development aims, along with control over territory it claims, especially self-governing Taiwan.”
Newsmax wrote on November 27:
“China has agreed to restructure Cuban debt and provide new trade and investment credits to the beleaguered Caribbean Island nation after a meeting in Peking between the two Communist countries’ leaders…
“Chinese trade and investment has slowed in recent years due to Cuba’s failure to meet restructured debt payments… Analysts estimate the debt in the billions of dollars, although no official figures are available. Cuba last reported its foreign debt in 2019 at $19.6 billion.
“China is Cuba’s most important commercial partner after Venezuela, though trade has declined from over $2 billion in 2017 to $1.3 billion last year, according to the Cuban government.”
The Daily Mail wrote on November 27:
“Chinese police have clashed with thousands protesting the country’s draconian COVID lockdowns – as unprecedented civil unrest gripped the nation. Demonstrations erupted in at least seven cities – including Shanghai, Nanjing and Guangzhou – with violence breaking out between local cops and furious protesters. The largest demonstration appeared in Shanghai – home to 26million residents – with many boldly demanding President Xi Jinping resign. Officers used pepper spray against about 300 protesters, according to a witness, but western journalists reported the numbers to be in the thousands.
“Meanwhile last night hundreds gathered to mourn the deaths of at least 10 people in an apartment fire last week in Urumqi in the Xinjiang region, where residents were sealed in their buildings to try to stop the spread of COVID. It comes amid China launching another mass crackdown on the virus with crippling lockdowns put in place across the country, nearly three years after the pandemic started there…
“Public fury forced authorities in the far western Xinjiang region to open up parts of the capital Urumqi, which has been subject to a punishing ‘zero-Covid’ lockdown for more than three months…
“President Xi Jinping´s government faces mounting anger at its ‘zero-COVID’ policy that has shut down access to areas throughout China in an attempt to isolate every case… the ruling Communist Party faces growing complaints about the economic and human cost as businesses close and families are isolated for weeks with limited access to food and medicine…
“Internet users posted videos and accounts on Chinese and foreign social media showing protests in Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu and Chongqing in the southwest and Urumqi and Korla in Xinjiang… Posts on Chinese social media were quickly deleted, which Beijing often does to suppress criticism it worries might serve as a rallying point for opposition to one-party rule…
“The unprecedented protests, and anger online, are the latest signs of frustration at China’s approach to tackling Covid. It is the only major country still fighting the pandemic with mass testing and lockdowns…”
But other countries are still imposing massive restrictions in their alleged “fight” against Covid, and it may be only a matter of time until similar protests (and worse) will break out in those countries.
Express wrote on November 27:
“… demonstrations have challenged Iran’s government following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 having been detained by the country’s morality police.
“The protests have seen at least 450 people killed since they started, as well as over 18,000 arrested, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran…”
Iran’s powerful dictatorial government could find itself in hot water, as demonstrations and disagreement grow in the country.
Express wrote on November 26:
“Russia has unveiled a new plan to boost the energy efficiency of Russian-built nuclear reactors in India… Despite Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February this year, New Delhi and Moscow have been deepening their energy ties, much to the West’s chagrin…. According to Hindustan Times, despite the war in Ukraine, Moscow has continued supplying vital components to build the 1000-MW nuclear reactors…
“India and Russia’s partnership on nuclear energy has a long history, with the Soviet Union first supplying New Delhi with nuclear reactors and fuel after it was hit with sanctions from the West for its refusal to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.”
Far Eastern countries like Russia, China, India and others will ultimately be part of the biblical “kings of the East.”
The Daily Mail wrote on November 26:
“The foreign minister of Russian ally Belarus died suddenly today at the age of 64, it was announced in Minsk. Vladimir Makei was seen as the only main channel of communication to the West in dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s hardline pro-Moscow regime. His sudden death came the day after he met with the Pope’s envoy Ante Jozić amid speculation they were discussing a secret peace plan over the war in Ukraine.
“Career spy Makei had been foreign minister for a decade and was due tomorrow and Monday to host Vladimir Putin’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Minsk. Lavrov’s spokeswoman said Russia was ‘shocked’ at his passing. No cause of death was given – but several sources speculated that his demise could be suspicious…The pro-war Russian Telegram channel Mardan posted: ‘Strange death. Just in time. Just yesterday he discussed a peace plan with the envoy of the Pope.’ Narrative channel said: ‘Makei was Lukashenko’s main channel of communication with the West. ‘A career intelligence officer, Makei was closely associated with Austrian intelligence and the Austrian elites…’
“HVS channel said Makei was a politician ‘in whose natural death one can never believe’… While Lukashenko is Putin’s closest international ally, the Kremlin has remained concerned that Belarus has failed to fully sign up to his war in Ukraine – even though Moscow has troops stationed in Belarus. There were also concerns that Lukashenko – despite being a pariah – was seeking to do a secret deal with the West…
“The Belarus Foreign Ministry did not recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk ‘people’s republics’ – sparking anger in Moscow…”
Suspicious indeed.
Newsmax wrote on November 25:
“Turkey earlier this week launched drone, air and artillery strikes on Syria and has vowed revenge on U.S.-allied Kurds for a Nov. 13 terror attack in Istanbul, a move that could lead to the release of thousands of imprisoned Islamic State terrorists…
“The United States has allied with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against Islamic State group in Syria, causing a deep rift with Turkey. SDF is led by the Syrian People’s Protection Units (YPG). Thousands of Islamic State terrorists from more than 50 countries have been incarcerated by Syrian Kurdish Forces…
“The White House told Axios the escalation in Syria ‘and along the Turkish-Syrian border in recent days is dangerous and a threat to the safety of civilians and U.S. personnel in Syria.’ ‘We strongly oppose military action that further destabilizes the lives of communities in Syria and risks the Global Coalition’s hard-earned progress against ISIS,’ the White House National Security Council spokesperson added. The U.S. still has around 900 troops in Syria.”
The rift between Turkey and the USA will deepen.
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on November 25:
“Fifty-nine years ago this week, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. These many years later, the United States government continues to hold in secret piles of information related to the assassination.
“After the popular theatrical run of director Oliver Stone’s movie JFK that dramatically challenged the Lee Harvey Oswald as ‘lone gunman’ explanation for Kennedy’s assassination, the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 became law. It created the Assassination Records Review Board tasked with reviewing and releasing records held by the US government related to the assassination. While some US government records have since been released, others remain hidden away.
“On December 15, the remaining Kennedy assassination records are scheduled for release. But, don’t get your hopes up. Future of Freedom Foundation (FFF) President and Kennedy assassination researcher Jacob G. Hornberger predicts in an October 21 FFF article that President Joe Biden will, like President Donald Trump did in 2017 when the deadline for release of the final materials first occurred, refuse to let the public see all the information. Indeed, Biden already did so once in 2021 when the secrecy extension period Trump had set for the remaining records passed…
“Legal scholar Andrew Napolitano, who has known Trump since before Trump’s 2016 presidential run, provides some insight on Trump’s change of mind regarding the release of the still secret Kennedy assassination records in a Tuesday video conversation with Gerald Celente of the Trends Journal. Napolitano, who is an Advisory Board member for the Ron Paul Institute and was a state trial judge in New Jersey, discusses a late December of 2000 phone conversation he had with Trump in which Trump not releasing the records during his presidential term was discussed. Napolitano relates that Trump, who was then finishing up his presidential term, told Napolitano, ‘Judge, if you saw what I saw, you would know why I can’t release them.’ Queried then by Napolitano concerning what Trump was talking about, Napolitano relates Trump said he could not tell Napolitano over the phone but could tell Napolitano next time they meet in person — something that is yet to happen.
“Napolitano, in the video conversation, speculates regarding why Trump changed his mind regarding releasing the Kennedy assassination records, stating, ‘… Whatever it was it was proof of more people involved than Lee Harvey Oswald — people in the government, and he didn’t want to reveal it even though many of those people are themselves now dead… I think they scared him or threatened him,’ further states Napolitano…”
If those documents are not released on December 15, then we know that something really troublesome has been going on all these years.
The New York Times wrote on November 28:
“The New York Times and four European news organizations called on the United States government on Monday to drop its charges against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, for obtaining and publishing classified diplomatic and military secrets.
“In a joint open letter, The Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Spiegel and El País said the prosecution of Mr. Assange under the Espionage Act ‘sets a dangerous precedent’ that threatened to undermine the First Amendment and the freedom of the press. ‘Obtaining and disclosing sensitive information when necessary in the public interest is a core part of the daily work of journalists,’ the letter said. ‘If that work is criminalized, our public discourse and our democracies are made significantly weaker.’
“Mr. Assange, who has been fighting extradition from Britain since his arrest there in 2019, is also accused of participating in a hacking-related conspiracy. The letter notably did not urge the Justice Department to drop that aspect of the case, though it said that ‘some of us are concerned’ about it, too…”
The New York Post wrote on November 25:
“A federal judge compelled Fauci to answer questions from lawyers suing to reveal the role of ‘dozens of federal officials across at least 11 federal agencies’ to suppress ‘disfavored speakers, viewpoints and content on social-media platforms.’ That lawsuit is exposing how Biden’s war on disinformation is demolishing Americans’ freedom of speech.
“Fauci was deposed on Wednesday by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. Landry labeled Fauci the ‘man who single-handedly wrecked the US economy based upon “the science, follow the science.’” But ‘over the course of seven hours, we discovered that he can’t recall practically anything dealing with his COVID response,’ Landry said…”
Telling. Fauci should be held accountable for all the harm he has caused. But will that ever happen in man’s political “justice” system?
Fox News wrote on November 26:
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said he is convinced he ‘made the right choice’ in invoking historic emergency powers earlier this year to shut down the Freedom Convoy protests against Canada’s COVID-19 mandates. Trudeau defended his actions in testimony before a commission tasked with investigating his use of the Emergencies Act to end the trucker protest…
“Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada’s history during February’s Freedom Convoy protest in the capital city of Ottawa. In doing so, he granted the federal government temporary powers to quell truckers and others protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related restrictions and freeze the bank accounts of those suspected of supporting the convoy. The emergency powers were lifted on Feb. 23.
“Trudeau’s actions were highly controversial, and civil liberties advocates questioned whether the circumstances of the protest necessitated his extreme response. Lawyers for the convoy and others said that Trudeau had ignored a plan prepared by Ottawa police and argued that the emergency powers were unnecessary to end the protest…
“Additional testimony and documents obtained by the inquiry revealed that U.S. officials had pressured the Canadian government to shut down the protests and remove blockades at border crossings between the U.S. and Canada… White House aides had reportedly contacted Trudeau’s staff as well, ahead of a Feb. 11 phone call that took place between the prime minister and President Biden. On that call, Trudeau reportedly informed the president that his government had a plan to end the protests and blockades.”
Shameful… but not surprisingly, Biden and his aides were apparently instrumental in Trudeau’s dictatorial action to suppress liberties and freedoms.
Fox News wrote on November 25:
“… a Walmart employee killed six people inside a Chesapeake, Virginia store, wounded several others and taking his own life… In a manifesto, Bing allegedly claimed he ‘was harassed by idiots with low intelligence and a lack of wisdom.’… He legally purchased the 9mm handgun used in the shooting from a local store that morning and had no criminal history, police said Friday.”
It appears that demons become increasingly influential in the lives of people.
Deutsche Welle wrote on November 27:
“The death toll from the earthquake that struck Indonesia’s main island of Java this week has risen to 321 as rescuers found more bodies… The 5.6-magnitude quake struck the highly populated Cianjur region of West Java province on Monday. It damaged more than 62,000 houses and displaced more than 73,000 residents…
“While the magnitude of the earthquake itself would typically be expected to cause light damage, experts say proximity to fault lines, the shallowness of the quake, and inadequate infrastructure that cannot withstand earthquakes all contributed to extensive damage.
“Experts monitoring seismic activity said that 284 aftershocks with gradually lessening intensity have occurred since the main quake struck on Monday.”
Christ warned that in these end times, we will be hearing more and more about earthquakes “in various places” (Matthew 24:7).
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.
| Live Services | Our Unique Talents/ Shepherds and Sheep |
|---|---|
| Editorial | He Raises Up Kings |
| Current Events | This Week in the News |
| Q&A | Why do you consider the Old Testament so important? (Part 2) |
| The Work | Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock |
On December 3, 2022, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Our Unique Talents” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon titled, “Shepherds and Sheep.”
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.
by Eric Rank
In recent weeks and months, several prominent changes in global leadership have taken place. In Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to his position of power as Prime Minister of Israel, despite his indictment in a national scandal. After an exceptionally short 50-day stint as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Liz Truss resigned, giving way for Rishi Sunak to take her place. In the United States, mid-term elections shifted the balance of partisan power in Congress and several gubernatorial seats among the states. The recent changes in political power appear as a game of chess, in which different pieces take their positions according to the strategy of the players.
Understanding biblical prophecy, we know that God is working out His Will to carry out His plan. He is the one moving the chess pieces on the chessboard of geopolitical power. Even though this is Satan’s world who gives his power to whomever he wants, he can do nothing against God’s Will, and sometimes, God intervenes directly to carry out His plan. Daniel acknowledged God’s preeminence as he reflected upon the rulership of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21). It might seem surprising for Daniel to acknowledge God’s divine role in placing Nebuchadnezzar in power, considering that he had taken the nation of Judah captive. Yet, God had a purpose in using Nebuchadnezzar to execute His Will. Why should we think that anything would be different today?
God is the One who may bring leaders to power for a purpose that He designs according to His Will. In Daniel’s time, God used Nebuchadnezzar to bring Judah into captivity as a punishment because of their disobedience. To the human mind, it might seem cruel to raise up a devious king for the purpose of punishment, but God executes His plan perfectly to bring about the results that He designs.
As He used Nebuchadnezzar to punish Judah in the time of Daniel, God will likewise use Assyria again in the future for the purpose of punishment. “‘Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.’” (Isaiah 10:5-6). The modern nation of Assyria, which we understand to be the nations of Germany and Austria today, will rise to power according to the Will of God as a rod of punishment against the descendants of the Israelite nations because they have strayed from Him and embraced sin. Sadly, even the extreme circumstances that the Bible prophesies will not be sufficient to wake many people up from the state of sinful stupor they are in.
Knowing that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (compare Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8), we can be confident that He continues to bring about changes in leadership according to His Will today. The recent changes in leadership around the world have taken place according to His Will. This does not mean that God necessarily caused those changes directly, but He allowed them to occur for His reasons. And His purpose is completely different from those who participate in elections to bring about their own human will. “‘They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves—That they might be cut off’” (Hosea 8:4).
It displeases God to see mankind forsake Him and make feeble attempts to improve the world through leaders they elect. The effect is the election of individuals who may even carry out the Will of God—but in ways that they do not expect. According to biblical prophecy, the elected leaders in the world today will only bring further decay, resulting in terrible circumstances throughout the world.
Some will try to make the argument that it is the duty of Christians to vote in governmental elections so that virtuous leaders can take positions of power. Yet, it is clear that even the most so-called virtuous politicians fall far short of living and promoting a godly life. Many times, those who come to power are not virtuous at all, but God may use them to carry out His desire and plan under certain circumstances. It will take the return of Jesus Christ to establish God’s government to make any meaningful correction. For this reason, we do NOT vote in governmental elections, nor do we participate in worldly politics. To do so is futile because Satan is the god of this world, and governments function according to the policies of man, not God.
Even though the current circumstances in the world seem hopeless, we look forward to the leadership of Jesus Christ! His government will bring about a complete transformation over the face of the Earth, putting an end to war and establishing peace forever (compare Isaiah 9:6-7). At that time God will continue to raise up kings. Those leaders will be the ones who have overcome the world of sin by tenaciously clinging to the ways of godly righteousness. In Revelation 1:5, John honors Jesus Christ saying, “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” If we are able to endure in our love for this Way of Life, those kings whom God will raise up will include you and me.
by Norbert Link
We begin with reporting on developments pertaining to an “inevitable” railroad strike in December, unless Congress intervenes. The Biden Administration asked for such controversial action by Congress which is supported by some Democrats and Republicans, while others object. In this regard, please view our recent message on the topic, titled, “War and the Railroad Strike–Comments on News and Prophecy, November 26, 2022.”
We continue with reports on Ukraine and the increasing deterioration between the EU and the USA. In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Europe and USA on Collision Course” .
We are also focusing on interesting developments in the UK pertaining to their army and religious issues.
We speak on Angela Merkel’s defiant attitude; Israel’s new forming government; as well as Ethiopia; and continue with collaborative efforts between China, North Korea and Cuba, and point out demonstrations against the governments in China and Iran. We speak on Russia’s collaboration with India; the sudden and suspicious death of Belarus’ Foreign Minister; and Turkey’s threat to US security in Syria.
We continue with the amazing fact that the US government is still hiding important documents about the assassination of John F. Kennedy; and report about an open letter by several national and international media outlets pleading with the US government to drop criminal charges against Julian Assange.
We speak on Dr. Fauci’s “vanishing” memory; Justin Trudeau’s defense of his indefensible dictatorial conduct against truckers; another deadly shooting at Walmart; and a devastating earthquake in Indonesia.
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
Breitbart wrote on November 23:
“A national freight rail strike is viewed as increasingly inevitable as four rail worker labor unions have rejected a tentative agreement with rail companies… a strike [could] take effect early next month [by December 5 or December 9]… American consumers could be plagued with far-reaching economic turmoil, and Congressional intervention would become increasingly likely…
“Biden and his fellow pro-union Democrats in Congress face a tough political predicament…
“Rail companies have estimated that some $2 billion daily would bleed from the American economy during a strike… Railroads haul about 40% of the nation’s freight each year… if a strike drags on for a month some 700,000 jobs would be lost as manufacturers who rely on railroads shut down, prices of nearly everything would increase even more and the economy could be thrust into a recession.
“And although some businesses would try to shift shipments over to trucks, there aren’t nearly enough of them available… 467,000 additional trucks a day would be needed to handle everything railroads deliver. The ability to transport crucial chemicals, packaged food for humans, food for livestock, and retail goods would be greatly undermined as families get ready for Christmas and Hanukkah.”
PBS and AP wrote on November 22:
“It wouldn’t take long for the effects of a rail strike to trickle through the economy. Many businesses only have a few days’ worth of raw materials and space for finished goods. Makers of food, fuel, cars and chemicals would all feel the squeeze, as would their customers. That’s not to mention the commuters who would be left stranded because many passenger railroads use tracks owned by the freight railroads…
“Chemical manufacturers and refineries will be some of the first businesses affected, because railroads will stop shipping hazardous chemicals about a week before the strike deadline to ensure that no tank cars filled with dangerous liquids wind up stranded… the chlorine that water treatment plants rely on to purify water, which they might only have about a week’s supply of on hand, would become hard to get. It would be hard for manufacturers to make anything out of plastic without the chemicals that are part of the formula.
“Consumers will also pay more for gasoline if refineries shut down either because they can’t get the ingredients they need to make fuel or because railroads aren’t available to haul away byproducts like sulfur…
“About 30 percent of all packaged food in the U.S. is moved by rail… That percentage is much higher for denser, heavier items like cans of soup.
“Some products, like cereal, cooking oils and beer, have entire operations built around rail deliveries of raw ingredients like grain, barley and peanuts, along with shipments of finished products. Those companies typically keep only two to four days’ worth of raw ingredients on hand because it’s expensive to store them… and grocers also keep a limited supply of products on hand… big food companies don’t like to discuss the threat of a rail strike because of worries about product shortages can lead to panic buying…
“Any disruption in rail service could threaten the health of chickens and pigs, which depend on trains to deliver their feed, and contribute to higher meat prices… a rail strike now would hit pork and chicken producers in the southern U.S. hardest, because their local supply of corn and soybeans from this year’s harvest is likely exhausted and they’d have to ship feed by truck, dramatically increasing costs…
“Retailers are also concerned about online orders. Shippers like FedEx and UPS use rail cars that hold roughly 2,000 packages in each car…
“Drivers are already paying record prices and often waiting months for new vehicles because of the production problems in the auto industry related to the shortage of computer chips in recent years. That would only get worse if there is a rail strike, because roughly 75 percent of all new vehicles begin their journey from factories to dealerships on the railroad. Trains deliver some 2,000 carloads a day filled with vehicles.
“And automakers may have a hard time keeping their plants running during a strike because some larger parts and raw materials are transported by rail.”
The Prospect wrote on November 23:
“Congress could end talk about strikes and worker lockouts by passing a joint resolution, under the Railway Labor Act of 1926, which is then sent to President Biden’s desk. If he signs, the resolution could force workers to accept the contract approved by the Presidential Emergency Board, the board set up by the president to mediate the dispute. If that happens, it would run counter to Biden’s repeated commitment to being the ‘most pro-union administration in American history.’…
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 led to John Carroll’s order to the National Guard to put down the strike, and Baltimoreans attacked the troops. Street battles between the striking workers and the Maryland militia left 10 dead and 25 wounded. By the end of August 1877, the strike had ended primarily due to federal government intervention, the use of state militias, and the employment of strikebreakers by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company.
Launched on July 1, 1922, by seven of the sixteen railroad labor organizations in existence at the time, the strike continued into the month of August before collapsing. A sweeping judicial injunction by Judge James Herbert Wilkerson effectively brought the strike to an end on September 1, 1922.
The last time US railroads went on strike was in 1992. That strike lasted two days before Congress intervened. The Los Angeles Times reported at that time, on June 26, 1992:
“Congress and the White House moved with rare speed Thursday night to end a crippling two-day nationwide rail shutdown that already had begun to threaten the economy by forcing layoffs at coal mines and auto assembly plants. The House and Senate passed emergency legislation barring strikes and lockouts by large margins…
“Bush signed the legislation early today. Many lawmakers objected strongly that the action was anti-labor, but anxiety about the impact of a prolonged stoppage on the still-fragile economy overrode those concerns.”
All of this poses a no-win situation for the Biden Administration. Please view our new program, “War and the Railroad Strike–Comments on News and Prophecy, November 26, 2022.”
The Huffington Post wrote on November 29:
“The party of paid family leave finds itself in a very awkward position.
“Congressional Democrats are moving toward a vote that would override the wishes of unionized rail workers by imposing a new contract with the nation’s major rail carriers. The memberships of four out of twelve rail unions — including the largest — have voted against the proposal sending their leaders back to the bargaining table for a better deal. But top Democrats are planning to force the contract on them through legislation in order to head off a massive rail strike in early December that could hurt the economy.
“President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass a bill enforcing the tentative contract… House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) endorsed Biden’s plan… [So did Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)].
“To make things even more awkward for the party, workers have been holding out largely for paid sick days and better quality-of-life provisions in their contracts — issues for which Democrats fashion themselves as champions… Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called the omission of paid sick days ‘outrageous’ and suggested he will push for an amendment to the bill providing more leave…”
The New York Post added on November 29:
“Rail workers unions blasted President Biden on Monday after he pressed Congress to force the organized labor groups to accept a tentative agreement in order to avert a strike. ‘Joe Biden blew it,’ Railroad Workers Union treasurer Hugh Sawyer said in a press release… ‘He had the opportunity to prove his labor-friendly pedigree to millions of workers by simply asking Congress for legislation to end the threat of a national strike on terms more favorable to workers. Sadly, he could not bring himself to advocate for a lousy handful of sick days. The Democrats and Republicans are both pawns of big business and the corporations,’ Sawyer added…
“The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, the third-largest rail union in the US, said in a statement Tuesday that it was ‘deeply disappointed’ with Biden’s decision to appeal to Congress to force an agreement…
“Organized labor is one of the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituencies…”
That may not continue for long.
Newsmax added on November 29:
“The National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) and The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) apparently have no plans of relenting from its respective bargaining positions… the NRLC and BMWED didn’t share the Biden administration’s optimism for concocting a labor resolution within the next 10 days.
“Congressional legislation regarding a railway strike ‘denies railroad workers their right to strike while also denying them of the benefit they would likely otherwise obtain if they were not denied their right to strike,’ the statement reads. ‘Additionally, passing legislation to adopt tentative agreements that exclude paid sick leave for railroad workers will not address rail service issues. Rather, it will worsen supply chain issues and further sicken, infuriate, and disenfranchise railroad workers as they continue shouldering the burdens of the railroads’ mismanagement.’”
Breitbart wrote on November 30:
“Rubio ripped Biden… stating his belief that the parties should negotiate new terms of the contract without congressional involvement and pledged he would only vote for a deal that union members support. ‘Just because Congress has the authority to impose a heavy-handed solution does not mean we should. It is wrong for the Biden Administration, which has failed to fight for workers, to ask Congress to impose a deal the workers themselves have rejected,’ said the senior senator from Florida…
“Sen. John Thune (R-SD) [the No. 2 Senate Republican] shared the same sentiment that Congress should not intervene, stating the matter is the Biden administration’s ‘responsibility.’ In calling on Congress to impose a contract, Biden, a pro-union Democrat, has effectively disregarded the lingering sick time concerns of union members in fear of substantial economic consequences, which would have further negative impacts on Americans who have already been grappling with inflation not seen for decades.
“Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) called the idea of congressional intervention insane and said he ‘won’t support it.’”
On Thursday, Congress DID intervene, totally ignoring some of the dissenting voices… See the next article.
Newsmax reported on December 1:
“The Senate passed a bill to bind rail companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached between the rail companies and union leaders in September. That settlement had been rejected by some of the 12 unions involved, creating the possibility of a strike beginning Dec. 9.
“The Senate vote was 80-15. It came one day after the House voted to impose the agreement. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature…
“The House passed the legislation enacting September’s labor agreement with broad bipartisan support. A second measure adding seven paid sick days for rail workers passed on a mostly party-line vote in the House, but it fell eight votes short of a 60-vote threshold needed for passage in the Senate.”
This move might very well backfire.
Express wrote on November 26:
“Putin’s strategy of using Russia’s gas supplies against the West is starting to sow dissent among NATO as top European officials take aim at Joe Biden, accusing him of ‘profiting from this war’. Multiple high-ranking officials from the bloc have accused the US president of capitalising on the opportunity represented by the invasion and jacking up the price of weapons and gas…
“Speaking to Politico, a senior EU official said: ‘The fact is, if you look at it soberly, the country that is most profiting from this war is the US because they are selling more gas and at higher prices, and because they are selling more weapons.’ Another said: ‘We are really at a historic juncture.’ The official added that the combination of trade disruption and high energy prices jeopardises the US’s reputation with countries on the other side of the Atlantic.
“They said: ‘America needs to realise that public opinion is shifting in many EU countries.’ Emmanuel Macron has also accused the US of not being ‘friendly’ in its approach to the EU. The EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, meanwhile, called on the US to acknowledge the impact they were having on the European economy…
“However, the US has refused to concede that they are impacting the price of gas in the EU… The EU has turned to the US as an alternative to Russian gas, in order to avoid indirectly funding Putin’s war and giving him leverage over them for the crucial resource. However, Europeans say the price they are facing in the US is nearly four times as high as the same fuel costs in America.
“This row is compounded by a surge in orders for US-made military gear, as the EU’s supply of weapons to Ukraine leaves them running low themselves… [According to the Daily Mail, “… the Americans continue to send more, with the cost of supplying Ukraine to the US now at over $19billion as another $400million was added earlier this week.”]
“Germany’s economy minister called on Washington to show more ‘solidarity’ by reducing their energy costs… An EU diplomat added: ‘It’s not good, in terms of optics, to give the impression that your best ally is actually making huge profits out of your troubles.’
“The high gas prices add to existing tensions over Mr Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a huge tax, climate, and healthcare package for the US – but which caused one EU official to question whether Washington was ‘still our ally’. Fears are rising of a transatlantic trade war as a result of the package, which EU officials say put European industries at risk of collapse.
“Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher said the IRA is ‘very worrying’, adding: ‘The potential impact on the European economy is very big.’ An official from France’s foreign affairs ministry described the IRA as ‘discriminatory subsidies that will distort competition.’ Tonino Picula, the European Parliament’s lead person on the transatlantic relationship added: ‘The US is following a domestic agenda, which is regrettably protectionist and discriminates against US allies.’”
The Daily Mail added on November 26:
“European nations, now dependent upon the U.S. and its gas supply, say they are fretting over the impacts of the $369 billion green subsidies [mainly for products made in the USA] and what it will look like for them after already being squeezed on gas prices.’…
“The nearly $400 billion subsidy ‘scheme’ introduced in the Inflation Reduction Act incentivizes Americans into buying products that are both U.S. made and energy efficient. The IRA provides tax credits for businesses and individuals who purchase ‘green’ products, including wind turbines and elective vehicles. The credits are mostly available, however, for products made in the United States.”
Europeans are getting increasingly upset with America.
In regard to a potential trade war, caused by the IRA, The Associated Press wrote on November 25:
“The European Union and the United States are treading precariously close to a major trans-Atlantic trade dispute at a time when the two Western giants want to show unity in the face of challenges from Russia and China. EU trade ministers on Friday insisted they would be forced to respond if Washington stuck to all the terms of its Inflation Reduction Act, which is favorable to local companies through subsidies and, according to the EU, will unfairly discriminate against its firms that want to compete for contracts.
“‘Nobody wants to get into a tit-for-tat or subsidy race. But what the U.S. has done really isn’t consistent with the principles of free trade and fair competition,’ Irish Trade Minister Leo Varadkar said. ‘What we are asking for is fairness. We want and expect European companies and exports to be treated in the same way in the U.S. as American companies and exports are treated in Europe,’ EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said.
“And beyond the European Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the 27 member nations on trade issues, the concerns are largely shared in EU national capitals, too. ‘All the member states are concerned,’ said Czech Trade Minister Jozef Sikela…
“Trade disputes have been a red line for decades in trans-Atlantic relations, highlighted by fights over aircraft subsidies and steel exports and affecting everything from hormone-treated beef to liquor exports…”
When Biden began to occupy the White House, many Europeans thought that the relationship between Europe and America would improve. The opposite has been occurring.
Deutsche Welle wrote on November 30:
“French President Emmanuel Macron is on a state visit to Washington. This week’s visit should mark the end of a quarrel between the two countries…”
Dream on, Deutsche Welle.
Politico wrote on November 30:
“It’s gotten cold in Europe, the economy is tanking and the natives are getting restless. There’s only one answer: Blame America. Pointing across the Atlantic has long been a favorite diversionary tactic for Europe’s political elites when things start to get dicey on the Continent. Whether it’s the war in Ukraine (Washington shouldn’t have expanded NATO), natural disasters (too many American SUVs fueling climate change) or the demise of French as a lingua franca (cultureless Hollywood), America is inevitably the culprit.
“… While Europeans are understandably upset that their gas prices are four times what they are in the U.S., no one told them to make themselves dependent on Russian gas or to switch off perfectly functioning nuclear power plants (in fact, Washington told them for years not to)… While American defense contractors stand to benefit from replacing stocks and from stronger demand for arms among NATO allies, so too should their European counterparts. Yet therein lies the rub: European firms should benefit as much as Americans, but don’t. The main reason is that Europe has underinvested in its defense industry...
“The Europeans fear the generous ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ subsidies will undermine their industry and are threatening a trade war. The inconvenient truth, however, is that Europeans are having difficulty getting their own companies to invest at home because governments have placed more emphasis on subsidizing household gas bills than helping the region’s industry weather the crisis… it’s difficult not to conclude that Europe’s blame game is really about something else — envy…
“In Germany, a book titled ‘Ami, It’s Time to Go!’ (Ami is German slang for Americans) has become a bestseller. The author is Oskar Lafontaine, a former finance minister who once led the Social Democrats before breaking with the party. ‘We have to free ourselves from the tutelage of the U.S.A.,’ Lafontaine writes, describing America as the root of most evil and arguing that Europe needs to blaze its own path….”
For more information, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Europe and USA on Collision Course”
Indian Punchline wrote on November 30:
“The meet-up location of NATO foreign ministers on November 29-30— Bucharest — was where ten years ago, former US President George W. Bush persuaded America’s transatlantic partners that Ukraine and Georgia should one day join their military alliance. The foreign ministers duly ‘reaffirmed’ that decision yesterday and left it at that.
“However, their statement on the conflict in Ukraine emphatically stated that the NATO ‘will never recognise’ Russia’s incorporation of four Ukrainian regions… [But] there are… growing signs of disunity on [the] Ukraine issue among the US’ European allies and between the latter and the Biden Administration… Macron still hopes to be the western leader to accept President Putin’s surrender terms and go down in history books, but in reality his credibility is in shatters in Europe and Atlanticist circles in particular, and even within France.
“Europe’s number one priority at this juncture… ought to be its strategic autonomy to act in its own interests. But that requires deep thinking as to what is it that Europe wants to be autonomous about… Europe… is struggling with its demons…
“Russian forces are outnumbering Ukraine’s and Russian fortifications have been significantly strengthened… the narrative of victory in Kiev — that Ukraine is winning the war and is about to capture Crimea, etc. — is becoming unsustainable for much longer… The regime-change-in-Russia propaganda is not going to wither away even under the emerging stark realities of the… ground situation in Ukraine…”
It is difficult to decide whom to believe these days regarding the reports on the war situation in Ukraine.
The Guardian wrote on November 27:
“As blacked-out Moldova warned last week, another huge humanitarian and migrant crisis looms, akin to that of last spring. It will challenge every EU country. Yet as the strain of multiple Ukraine-related problems begins to tell, European support may be faltering at this critical juncture. The war and its atrocities are being normalised and, increasingly, discounted… Nine months in, western public opinion is dulled, deadened and desensitized… People are no longer shocked, nor even greatly surprised. They feel powerless. The majority still wants Ukraine to prevail. But victory is not expected soon… war fatigue teeters towards apathy…
“As the war becomes a familiar fact of daily life, and negative fallout spreads, will public support soften further?… The Ukrainian people are a formidable force. They have shown they can beat their enemies. But should they fear their friends? A weakening of US and European support, leaving Ukraine out in the cold, is perhaps the most dismaying hazard they face. Putin is counting on it.
“Might the peoples of the west, for the sake of a quiet life, really get ‘fed up’ with the war to the point where they are ready to ignore or even tolerate mass murder, war crimes and the evisceration of a sovereign nation as the new normal? It’s democracy’s biggest test. Every day, it gets harder in Ukraine. One thing is certain: it’s going to be a long winter.”
Ultimately, Russia and Ukraine will unite.
Fox News wrote on November 27:
“President Biden’s administration is scrambling to track the nearly $20 billion in military aid it has sent to Ukraine as Republicans warn of impending audits when they take control of the House in January.
“Kevin McCarthy has said his party will not be giving Ukraine a ‘blank check’ to fend off Russia’s invasion. A potential audit would determine how much, if any, of the U.S. aid is ending up in the wrong hands…
“The Republican push to ramp up oversight enjoys some bipartisan support in Congress… The lawmakers agree that current monitoring efforts appear woefully inadequate, with the Biden administration inspecting just 10% of the 22,000 weapons the U.S. has provided to Ukraine between February and November 1… U.S. allies in Europe have expressed hope that Republican skepticism of Ukraine aid will not lead to a widespread cutting of funding, however…
“‘No one in Republican leadership has called for an end to aid for Ukraine,’ Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said Monday. ‘People on the Republican side are saying, “Why do we have to pass a $40 billion package to send $8 billion to Ukraine?”’”
There have been many concerns that the weapons and the money being sent to Ukraine are ending up in Russian hands.
The Times wrote on November 20:
“As Vladimir Putin’s army bombarded Ukrainian soldiers trapped in the Azovstal steelworks in May, the tanker Mariner III pulled out of the south Russian port of Tuapse carrying nearly 200,000 barrels of oil. After five days at sea, the 170m (558ft) ship stopped alongside a bigger tanker, the Greek-owned Marinoula, in the waters off Kalamata, Greece. Over the next 36 hours, the two vessels were connected by large rubber pipes while the Marinoula siphoned off some of the Mariner’s cargo. After the ship-to-ship transfer, the Marinoula sailed to the UK, where it docked at Immingham in Lincolnshire and, on June 6, offloaded about 250,000 barrels of oil.
“Official records, however, declare that the UK received no oil from Russia in June or in July. The shipment was classified and reported correctly under British reporting protocols and there was no breach of maritime rules. The fuel was one of at least 39 cargos of Russian oil, worth more than £200 million, to have arrived at British ports since the invasion of Ukraine but to have been classified as imports from elsewhere. Almost £80 million of this was in June and July. In total, £778 million of Russian oil has arrived at ten UK ports since March…
“One arrived last week. On Wednesday, the 244m Delta Pioneer docked at Immingham, carrying oil directly from Russia. According to Refinitiv data analysed by Global Witness, a research group, the vessel brought half a million barrels of fuel to the port. It is not yet known how the fuel will be classified. Official records show that Russian oil worth about £23 million that has arrived at Immingham since March has been recorded as imports from Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
“The Sunday Times has tracked four vessels that have carried more than a million barrels of Russian oil to Immingham. Two of the cargos involved ship-to-ship transfers, while a third brought Russian oil from Rotterdam. At least 13 shipments, including the Marinoula’s, arrived in June and July. The east London port of Thamesport has received £130 million of oil from Russia since March. These were classified as imports from Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands…
“The import of Russian oil to the UK is legal until December 5, when all imports will be barred… However, maritime experts say the way the UK registers imports, as well as the increased use of ship-to-ship transfers, will make it difficult for the UK to sanction Russian oil… it is the country of dispatch that is used to measure the nationality of an import, not the country where it was produced. This means a cargo of Chinese-made goods could be registered as being from Germany if it were imported to the UK by a German firm…
“British ports accepted more than £78 million of Russian oil in June. These were reported as imports from the Netherlands, Estonia, Poland or Belgium. A further £1.5 million of Russian oil arrived at UK ports in July and was logged as imports from France, the Netherlands, Germany and Latvia…”
Whenever greed and money are involved, “loopholes” are found.
AFP wrote on November 29:
“For the first time, less than half of the population in England and Wales identifies as Christian, according to census data released Tuesday. The 10-yearly census carried out in 2021 showed rapid growth for the Muslim population, but ‘no religion’ was the second most common response after Christian, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
“In an increasingly secular age, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said it was no ‘great surprise’ that the Christian proportion was declining over time…
“Some 27.5 million people or 46.2 percent in England and Wales described themselves as Christian, down 13.1 percentage points from 2011. ‘No religion’ rose by 12 points to 37.2 percent or 22.2 million, while Muslims stood at 3.9 million or 6.5 percent of the population, up from 4.9 percent before.
“The next most common responses were Hindu (1.0 million) and Sikh 524,000), while Buddhists overtook Jewish people (273,000 to 271,000)…”
Christianity Today had written on December 23, 2016:
“The last 18 months may have significantly dented the UK’s faith in God, a poll for The Times indicates. The proportion of people who say they believe in God has dropped four points from 32 per [cent] in February last year to 28 per cent now… Meanwhile those saying they actively do not believe in any form of God or higher power has gone up five points…
Express had written on October 16, 2012:
“Nearly 60 per cent of people believe we are not alone in the universe and that alien life-forms exist, a new poll has found. While a report carried out by the University of Chicago claims that just 37 per cent of us believe in God.”
There could be, of course, a link between denying the existence of God and believing in the ungodly theory of evolution and the existence of aliens.
Express wrote on November 30:
“[Prime Minister] Rishi Sunak has been accused of ‘completely’ underestimating the global threats facing the UK, as Britain embarks on ‘swathing’ cuts to the army. Chair of the Defence Select Committee Tobias Ellwood told Express.co.uk that the world has ‘moved into a dangerous era’, warning that the British army is ‘overstretched’.
“Mr Ellwood has urged Mr Sunak to commit to spending three percent of GDP on defence, one percent more than the UK currently spends… ‘We need to see those swathing cuts which were outlined in the last defence review reversed. Cuts to our tanks, ships and planes, as well as our troop numbers… “
The Guardian wrote on November 25:
“Angela Merkel has insisted that her position as a lame duck in the last months of her time in office made it more or less impossible for her to influence the behaviour of Vladimir Putin. The former German chancellor appeared both defensive and quietly defiant about her inability to change the course of the Russian president’s decision-making in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine in February…
“‘I no longer had the power to push my ideas through because everyone knew “she’ll be gone by autumn”’ she said [during an interview with Der Spiegel], describing how she had tried to establish a round of European talks after a meeting in the summer of 2021 between the US president, Joe Biden, and Putin. ‘Had I been standing again in the September I’d have kept drilling down, but … at my final meeting in Moscow [with Putin and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov], the feeling was clear: from a political power point of view, you’re finished. For Putin it is only power that counts.’
“In her interviews with Alexander Osang, which took place over a period of a year and in various locations, Merkel insisted that her stance on the Minsk agreement – which brought a ceasefire after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula – had been right. Key points of the Minsk peace talks, including disarmament and supervision by an international body, were never followed through. But Merkel said the agreement had nevertheless helped buy Kyiv time to arm itself better against the Russian military.
“According to Osang, she repeatedly implied that she felt misunderstood over what she had tried to achieve as German leader, facing as she now does a barrage of accusations over some of her choices, such as her decision to block Ukraine’s admission to Nato in Bucharest in 2008, seen by many as having harmed its ability to defend itself. Her refusal to acknowledge her mistakes in allowing Germany to become ever more dependent on Russian gas supplies is another major criticism.
“Merkel also appeared to be loosely comparing her behaviour to that of Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister associated with the flawed policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler by allowing him to expand the territory of Nazi Germany in the 1930s…
“Merkel added it was unfair to suggest she had not paid Ukraine enough attention in 2013 and 2014…
“Among the anecdotes she relays in a wide-ranging interview in which she is reflective and sometimes gloomy about her time in office, are encounters with the Queen – though Merkel said she was never able to establish what the British monarch thought about Brexit – and a G7 meeting with Boris Johnson, who she said had been attempting to undermine the Northern Ireland protocol…
“She had also watched the Queen’s funeral on television, and taken an interest in many of the guests she had recognised, including Tony Blair, whom Osang said she referred to as a ‘great political talent who had lost his reputation’ over the Iraq war…
“Merkel said she had no regrets about not standing for office again, after 16 years at the helm. ‘Somebody new was needed. Domestically it was high time and from a foreign policy perspective… (there were) so many things we tried again and again, but were not moving a millimetre on. Not just over Ukraine, but also Transnistria, Moldova, Georgia, Abkhazia, Syria and Libya. It was time for a new approach.’
“She said she sometimes woke in the night and worried about many of the dramatic events taking place in the world. ‘I think about… how the horror disappears as the eye witnesses die. And the spirit of reconciliation also disappears.’”
Germany’s “new approach” can be seen in its current government—arguably the most incompetent government Germany has ever had since World War II. And Merkel’s wrong appeasement policies over many years towards Russia and Germany’s dependency on Russian oil can by no means be ignored.
JTA wrote on November 25:
“Itamar Ben-Gvir… will head Israel’s police forces, under the terms of a deal inked with Benjamin Netanyahu early Friday.
“The deal would expand the ministry of internal security… into the ministry of national security and would also give Ben-Gvir authority over border police in Palestinian territories...
“In the role, Ben-Gvir will have the power to carry out some of his long-held wishes, including loosening rules so that officers can open fire on Palestinians who throw stones and expanding the ability of Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, the Jerusalem site that is home to the Al-Aqsa mosque.
“Ben-Gvir… has ignited conflict by accompanying Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, where Jewish prayer has been strictly limited… Twice convicted of incitement in Israeli courts, Ben-Gvir has also called for annexing large parts of the West Bank and for deporting Arabs who are not loyal to Israel… The Biden administration is considering refusing to meet with Ben-Gvir…
“Netanyahu is still working to finalize an agreement with Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionist party. Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to give Smotrich authority over Israel’s administration of the West Bank…”
This will undoubtedly lead to more friction between Israel and the USA and most other countries, especially Europe.
USA Today wrote on November 25:
“Tigray, Eritrea and Ethiopia’s 2-year-long civil war has killed more people than the war in Ukraine, yet nobody’s talking about it… An estimated 383,000 civilians died in Tigray between November 2020 and August 2022…
“Ethiopia is the oldest state in sub-Saharan Africa and the only state in Africa that has never been colonized. It has more than 2,000 years of history. It is where the oldest biblical texts have been found. Various forms of Pentecostal Christianity are widely followed in Ethiopia, including by [Prime Minister Abiy] Ahmed, who uses religious terminology in his speeches to explain his own power. He claims he has a divine mandate…”
FP wrote on June 18, 2022 about Ahmed:
“An ancient Christian imperialism is resurging in Ethiopia today under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. This archaic vision promises to unify Ethiopia and restore its divine glory. But it appears to be shattering Ethiopia and fueling catastrophic suffering.
“Its core belief is that Ethiopia is a Christian nation created and destined by God for greatness under Christian leadership. Today it is supercharging enmity and silencing critical voices calling for the end of war, genuine dialogue, and an inclusive Ethiopia where diverse people can belong together…
“Abiy became Ethiopia’s first Evangelical prime minister. His father was Muslim, his mother Orthodox, and Abiy himself converted to Pentecostalism in his 20s. (In Ethiopia, Protestantism, Evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism are overlapping Christianities.) Abiy was ecstatically hailed by many Ethiopians—especially Evangelicals—as a messiah, as a new ‘Moses’ or ‘King David’ who would save Ethiopia from disintegration.
“In an early speech, Abiy announced himself as Ethiopia’s ‘seventh king,’ a reference to his Orthodox mother’s prophecy over him as a child. This self-presentation powerfully evoked the ancient history of Ethiopia’s Christian imperialism and the promise of Ethiopia’s restored greatness…”
Ethiopia should be watched.
Thomson/Reuters wrote on November 25:
“Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that China would be willing to work together with North Korea for regional and global peace, stability and prosperity, North Korea’s state media KCNA reported on Saturday, citing Xi’s letter to Kim.
“KCNA did not mention North Korea’s recent missile launches that have heightened tensions around the Korean peninsula following joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.”
The Associated Press reported on November 25:
“Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Cuban counterpart [Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez] pledged mutual support over their fellow communist states’ ‘core interests’… China generally defines core interests as the defense of its economic and political development aims, along with control over territory it claims, especially self-governing Taiwan.”
Newsmax wrote on November 27:
“China has agreed to restructure Cuban debt and provide new trade and investment credits to the beleaguered Caribbean Island nation after a meeting in Peking between the two Communist countries’ leaders…
“Chinese trade and investment has slowed in recent years due to Cuba’s failure to meet restructured debt payments… Analysts estimate the debt in the billions of dollars, although no official figures are available. Cuba last reported its foreign debt in 2019 at $19.6 billion.
“China is Cuba’s most important commercial partner after Venezuela, though trade has declined from over $2 billion in 2017 to $1.3 billion last year, according to the Cuban government.”
The Daily Mail wrote on November 27:
“Chinese police have clashed with thousands protesting the country’s draconian COVID lockdowns – as unprecedented civil unrest gripped the nation. Demonstrations erupted in at least seven cities – including Shanghai, Nanjing and Guangzhou – with violence breaking out between local cops and furious protesters. The largest demonstration appeared in Shanghai – home to 26million residents – with many boldly demanding President Xi Jinping resign. Officers used pepper spray against about 300 protesters, according to a witness, but western journalists reported the numbers to be in the thousands.
“Meanwhile last night hundreds gathered to mourn the deaths of at least 10 people in an apartment fire last week in Urumqi in the Xinjiang region, where residents were sealed in their buildings to try to stop the spread of COVID. It comes amid China launching another mass crackdown on the virus with crippling lockdowns put in place across the country, nearly three years after the pandemic started there…
“Public fury forced authorities in the far western Xinjiang region to open up parts of the capital Urumqi, which has been subject to a punishing ‘zero-Covid’ lockdown for more than three months…
“President Xi Jinping´s government faces mounting anger at its ‘zero-COVID’ policy that has shut down access to areas throughout China in an attempt to isolate every case… the ruling Communist Party faces growing complaints about the economic and human cost as businesses close and families are isolated for weeks with limited access to food and medicine…
“Internet users posted videos and accounts on Chinese and foreign social media showing protests in Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu and Chongqing in the southwest and Urumqi and Korla in Xinjiang… Posts on Chinese social media were quickly deleted, which Beijing often does to suppress criticism it worries might serve as a rallying point for opposition to one-party rule…
“The unprecedented protests, and anger online, are the latest signs of frustration at China’s approach to tackling Covid. It is the only major country still fighting the pandemic with mass testing and lockdowns…”
But other countries are still imposing massive restrictions in their alleged “fight” against Covid, and it may be only a matter of time until similar protests (and worse) will break out in those countries.
Express wrote on November 27:
“… demonstrations have challenged Iran’s government following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 having been detained by the country’s morality police.
“The protests have seen at least 450 people killed since they started, as well as over 18,000 arrested, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran…”
Iran’s powerful dictatorial government could find itself in hot water, as demonstrations and disagreement grow in the country.
Express wrote on November 26:
“Russia has unveiled a new plan to boost the energy efficiency of Russian-built nuclear reactors in India… Despite Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February this year, New Delhi and Moscow have been deepening their energy ties, much to the West’s chagrin…. According to Hindustan Times, despite the war in Ukraine, Moscow has continued supplying vital components to build the 1000-MW nuclear reactors…
“India and Russia’s partnership on nuclear energy has a long history, with the Soviet Union first supplying New Delhi with nuclear reactors and fuel after it was hit with sanctions from the West for its refusal to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.”
Far Eastern countries like Russia, China, India and others will ultimately be part of the biblical “kings of the East.”
The Daily Mail wrote on November 26:
“The foreign minister of Russian ally Belarus died suddenly today at the age of 64, it was announced in Minsk. Vladimir Makei was seen as the only main channel of communication to the West in dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s hardline pro-Moscow regime. His sudden death came the day after he met with the Pope’s envoy Ante Jozić amid speculation they were discussing a secret peace plan over the war in Ukraine.
“Career spy Makei had been foreign minister for a decade and was due tomorrow and Monday to host Vladimir Putin’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Minsk. Lavrov’s spokeswoman said Russia was ‘shocked’ at his passing. No cause of death was given – but several sources speculated that his demise could be suspicious…The pro-war Russian Telegram channel Mardan posted: ‘Strange death. Just in time. Just yesterday he discussed a peace plan with the envoy of the Pope.’ Narrative channel said: ‘Makei was Lukashenko’s main channel of communication with the West. ‘A career intelligence officer, Makei was closely associated with Austrian intelligence and the Austrian elites…’
“HVS channel said Makei was a politician ‘in whose natural death one can never believe’… While Lukashenko is Putin’s closest international ally, the Kremlin has remained concerned that Belarus has failed to fully sign up to his war in Ukraine – even though Moscow has troops stationed in Belarus. There were also concerns that Lukashenko – despite being a pariah – was seeking to do a secret deal with the West…
“The Belarus Foreign Ministry did not recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk ‘people’s republics’ – sparking anger in Moscow…”
Suspicious indeed.
Newsmax wrote on November 25:
“Turkey earlier this week launched drone, air and artillery strikes on Syria and has vowed revenge on U.S.-allied Kurds for a Nov. 13 terror attack in Istanbul, a move that could lead to the release of thousands of imprisoned Islamic State terrorists…
“The United States has allied with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against Islamic State group in Syria, causing a deep rift with Turkey. SDF is led by the Syrian People’s Protection Units (YPG). Thousands of Islamic State terrorists from more than 50 countries have been incarcerated by Syrian Kurdish Forces…
“The White House told Axios the escalation in Syria ‘and along the Turkish-Syrian border in recent days is dangerous and a threat to the safety of civilians and U.S. personnel in Syria.’ ‘We strongly oppose military action that further destabilizes the lives of communities in Syria and risks the Global Coalition’s hard-earned progress against ISIS,’ the White House National Security Council spokesperson added. The U.S. still has around 900 troops in Syria.”
The rift between Turkey and the USA will deepen.
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on November 25:
“Fifty-nine years ago this week, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. These many years later, the United States government continues to hold in secret piles of information related to the assassination.
“After the popular theatrical run of director Oliver Stone’s movie JFK that dramatically challenged the Lee Harvey Oswald as ‘lone gunman’ explanation for Kennedy’s assassination, the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 became law. It created the Assassination Records Review Board tasked with reviewing and releasing records held by the US government related to the assassination. While some US government records have since been released, others remain hidden away.
“On December 15, the remaining Kennedy assassination records are scheduled for release. But, don’t get your hopes up. Future of Freedom Foundation (FFF) President and Kennedy assassination researcher Jacob G. Hornberger predicts in an October 21 FFF article that President Joe Biden will, like President Donald Trump did in 2017 when the deadline for release of the final materials first occurred, refuse to let the public see all the information. Indeed, Biden already did so once in 2021 when the secrecy extension period Trump had set for the remaining records passed…
“Legal scholar Andrew Napolitano, who has known Trump since before Trump’s 2016 presidential run, provides some insight on Trump’s change of mind regarding the release of the still secret Kennedy assassination records in a Tuesday video conversation with Gerald Celente of the Trends Journal. Napolitano, who is an Advisory Board member for the Ron Paul Institute and was a state trial judge in New Jersey, discusses a late December of 2000 phone conversation he had with Trump in which Trump not releasing the records during his presidential term was discussed. Napolitano relates that Trump, who was then finishing up his presidential term, told Napolitano, ‘Judge, if you saw what I saw, you would know why I can’t release them.’ Queried then by Napolitano concerning what Trump was talking about, Napolitano relates Trump said he could not tell Napolitano over the phone but could tell Napolitano next time they meet in person — something that is yet to happen.
“Napolitano, in the video conversation, speculates regarding why Trump changed his mind regarding releasing the Kennedy assassination records, stating, ‘… Whatever it was it was proof of more people involved than Lee Harvey Oswald — people in the government, and he didn’t want to reveal it even though many of those people are themselves now dead… I think they scared him or threatened him,’ further states Napolitano…”
If those documents are not released on December 15, then we know that something really troublesome has been going on all these years.
The New York Times wrote on November 28:
“The New York Times and four European news organizations called on the United States government on Monday to drop its charges against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, for obtaining and publishing classified diplomatic and military secrets.
“In a joint open letter, The Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Spiegel and El País said the prosecution of Mr. Assange under the Espionage Act ‘sets a dangerous precedent’ that threatened to undermine the First Amendment and the freedom of the press. ‘Obtaining and disclosing sensitive information when necessary in the public interest is a core part of the daily work of journalists,’ the letter said. ‘If that work is criminalized, our public discourse and our democracies are made significantly weaker.’
“Mr. Assange, who has been fighting extradition from Britain since his arrest there in 2019, is also accused of participating in a hacking-related conspiracy. The letter notably did not urge the Justice Department to drop that aspect of the case, though it said that ‘some of us are concerned’ about it, too…”
The New York Post wrote on November 25:
“A federal judge compelled Fauci to answer questions from lawyers suing to reveal the role of ‘dozens of federal officials across at least 11 federal agencies’ to suppress ‘disfavored speakers, viewpoints and content on social-media platforms.’ That lawsuit is exposing how Biden’s war on disinformation is demolishing Americans’ freedom of speech.
“Fauci was deposed on Wednesday by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. Landry labeled Fauci the ‘man who single-handedly wrecked the US economy based upon “the science, follow the science.’” But ‘over the course of seven hours, we discovered that he can’t recall practically anything dealing with his COVID response,’ Landry said…”
Telling. Fauci should be held accountable for all the harm he has caused. But will that ever happen in man’s political “justice” system?
Fox News wrote on November 26:
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said he is convinced he ‘made the right choice’ in invoking historic emergency powers earlier this year to shut down the Freedom Convoy protests against Canada’s COVID-19 mandates. Trudeau defended his actions in testimony before a commission tasked with investigating his use of the Emergencies Act to end the trucker protest…
“Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada’s history during February’s Freedom Convoy protest in the capital city of Ottawa. In doing so, he granted the federal government temporary powers to quell truckers and others protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related restrictions and freeze the bank accounts of those suspected of supporting the convoy. The emergency powers were lifted on Feb. 23.
“Trudeau’s actions were highly controversial, and civil liberties advocates questioned whether the circumstances of the protest necessitated his extreme response. Lawyers for the convoy and others said that Trudeau had ignored a plan prepared by Ottawa police and argued that the emergency powers were unnecessary to end the protest…
“Additional testimony and documents obtained by the inquiry revealed that U.S. officials had pressured the Canadian government to shut down the protests and remove blockades at border crossings between the U.S. and Canada… White House aides had reportedly contacted Trudeau’s staff as well, ahead of a Feb. 11 phone call that took place between the prime minister and President Biden. On that call, Trudeau reportedly informed the president that his government had a plan to end the protests and blockades.”
Shameful… but not surprisingly, Biden and his aides were apparently instrumental in Trudeau’s dictatorial action to suppress liberties and freedoms.
Fox News wrote on November 25:
“… a Walmart employee killed six people inside a Chesapeake, Virginia store, wounded several others and taking his own life… In a manifesto, Bing allegedly claimed he ‘was harassed by idiots with low intelligence and a lack of wisdom.’… He legally purchased the 9mm handgun used in the shooting from a local store that morning and had no criminal history, police said Friday.”
It appears that demons become increasingly influential in the lives of people.
Deutsche Welle wrote on November 27:
“The death toll from the earthquake that struck Indonesia’s main island of Java this week has risen to 321 as rescuers found more bodies… The 5.6-magnitude quake struck the highly populated Cianjur region of West Java province on Monday. It damaged more than 62,000 houses and displaced more than 73,000 residents…
“While the magnitude of the earthquake itself would typically be expected to cause light damage, experts say proximity to fault lines, the shallowness of the quake, and inadequate infrastructure that cannot withstand earthquakes all contributed to extensive damage.
“Experts monitoring seismic activity said that 284 aftershocks with gradually lessening intensity have occurred since the main quake struck on Monday.”
Christ warned that in these end times, we will be hearing more and more about earthquakes “in various places” (Matthew 24:7).
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.
In the first instalment of this series, we saw how there are those who do not believe that the Old Testament is necessary for a Christian today. We continue in part 2 to look at reasons why such thinking is wrong. We saw, under the first of seven points, that both the Old Testament and the New Testament combine to give revelation about God, His creation of the universe and of man. Let us move on discussing more reasons why the Old Testament is so important.
In Leviticus 23:1-2, we read about God’s Holy Days: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’”
It should be noted that they are God’s Feasts, not Israel’s or of the Jews. Today, as we will know, these generally are no longer kept by professing Christians except by the true Church of God with very few others understanding their necessity. Even most Jews do not keep them in the way prescribed by God. Mainstream Christianity have their own set of days which they keep, namely Christmas, Easter and other days. These Holy Days, and their meaning, can be studied in our free booklet “God’s Commanded Holy Days” where we read on page 1, the following:
“Why did ancient Israel and Judah have to go into captivity? Was God angry with them? And why does God warn this modern world that calamity is fast approaching? Is God angry with us? Is there a correlation?
“Could our failure to observe God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Feast Days have anything to do with it? Before we shrug our shoulders and scoff at such an idea, let us review God’s Word—the Bible—to learn what our Maker has to say about our national, collective and individual sins.
“To suggest that God still requires man to observe the Seventh-Day Sabbath and His annual Holy Days sounds strange, indeed, to most people. After all, weren’t those days given only to the Jews, ultimately to be replaced by Christians with Sunday and with such festivals as Christmas, Easter, and even Halloween? Wouldn’t the keeping of the Sabbath and the annual Feast Days mean returning to Old Testament rituals that were done away by Christ when He died for us? Weren’t the Sabbath and the annual Festivals just part of the Old Covenant that was replaced by the New Covenant?
“Undoubtedly, these are some of the arguments you have heard over the years, intended to convince you that the observance of the original Holy Days, and especially the weekly Sabbath, is no longer required or even permitted. Are these arguments based on Scripture, or are they based on human reasoning and opinion? How can you know the truth of the matter?
“We believe this booklet will present the Biblical truth regarding the Sabbath and Holy Day observances.”
And if we fast forward, we read on page 52 under the heading “Conclusion”:
“As we have shown you throughout this booklet, God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Festivals are still to be kept holy today. God wants EVERYONE—including YOU—to observe them. There is no Scripture in the New Testament that does away with God’s requirement to keep His weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days holy, as He made them holy. God had to severely punish ancient Israel and Judah for violating His commandments, including profaning His Holy Sabbaths. God is very angry with the world today—especially the modern houses of Israel and Judah, who should know better—for trampling His Sabbaths under foot. His judgment is coming soon on the whole world.”
Further information is available in the booklets: “The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days” and “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days.”
We would have no knowledge of God’s Holy Days were it not for the Old Testament although there are references to them in the New Testament. Today, mainstream Christianity ignore the fact that the early Church kept these Holy Days, as did Jesus. How much more would they be ignored (if that is possible) if Leviticus 23 was not available where it confirms to whom the Holy Days belong.
Under the first 2 points above, it can be clearly seen that both the Old Testament and the New Testament are needed to understand the items briefly discussed above and without both, our future would not be set out clearly as it is.
They are inter-connected and make up the Word of God. We read in Genesis 3:1-13 how God dealt with Adam and Eve’s transgression and continuing in verses 14-19: “So the Lord God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.’ To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.’ Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat of it”: Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.’”
Above we read how God addressed both the serpent and man. The curses spelled out show how a curse came upon humanity because of sin. In Revelation 22:1-3 we read: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.”
We read that the curse will be removed and this knowledge would be incomplete without both Testaments. This is but one of so many connections that is necessary to get the full picture.
Another connection would be quotations from the Old Testament in the New Testament. On the blueletterbible.org website we read:
“The close connection between the Old and the New Testament is shown by the number of times the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament. Bagster’s Bible gives 889 quotations and allusions. George F. Pentecost gives the number at 885, a few of the allusions given by Bagster’s Bible being disputed. Every book of the Old Testament is quoted except Obadiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Esther. There is only one quotation from the Song of Solomon.”
In the four gospels and the book of Acts, taken from the above calculations, there are around 285 quotations from the Old Testament, showing that the early Church knew the value of the Old Testament.
We read in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
It refers to the Scriptures, that is, of the Old Testament—the writings of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms, as well as those parts of the New Testament, which had already been written by the time Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians. Later, Peter would refer to Paul’s writings as part of the Scriptures (2 Peter 3:14-16).
We further read Christ’s words in John 5:39: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” And in verses 46-47: “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
We find Jesus expounding the Old Testament (the only Scriptures available at His time and which we will cover later), and in Luke 24:27 we read: “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
And in verses 44-46: “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day…’”
In Acts 1:3, we read about Jesus appearing to His apostles after His resurrection: “…to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”
On the website: biblearchaeology.org, there is an article entitled, “400 Prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament” by Paul Humber, reading as follows:
“The Lord Jesus Christ made it very clear that the Old Testament spoke of Him, stating: ‘You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me’ (John 5:39). My recently published book, ‘400+ Prophecies, Appearances, or Foreshadowings of Christ in the Tanakh (Old Testament),’ is a conscientious effort to take Jesus at His Word and to discover Him in pages of the Old Testament.
“Many people have the idea that the Old Testament was written BC (‘before Christ’). It was indeed written before Christ’s incarnation—but not before Christ, the Son of God. Nothing was ‘before’ Christ. In fact, He is the Creator of all—including even time itself. Thus, Jesus often even appears in the OT pages. In addition, there are many prophecies of His coming into the world to fulfil His unique role as Messiah.
“There are at least 117 prophecies, appearances, or foreshadowings (PAF’s) of Christ in the Law, at least 144 PAF’s in the Writings, and at least 153 PAF’s in the Prophets. A minimal total for the entire Old Testament, therefore, is 414.”
With such a weight of evidence, it is difficult to imagine how anyone could think that the New Testament alone is sufficient for a Christian.
(To be continued)
Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)
compiled by Dave Harris
“Europe and USA on Collision Course,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
Europe is accusing the USA of profiting from the war between Russia and Ukraine, while exploiting the EU. There are also fears of a new trade war because of America’s new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which allegedly unfairly discriminates against EU firms. What does this all mean?
“Europa und USA auf Kollisionskurs,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the same topic as described above.
“Erst denken, dann handeln” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Michael Link. Title in English: “Think First, Then Act.”
“Gottes Hilfe bei Problemen?” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by Andreas Raetz. Title in English: “God’s Help with Problems.”
“Unsere Gedanken spiegeln unser Leben,” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Thilo Hanstein. Title in English: “Our Thoughts Reflect Our Lives.”
“War and the Railroad Strike—Comments on News and Prophecy, November 26, 2022,” is the title of the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
Was it ever God’s intent that humans should resort to violence and fight in war? What did the Church of God under Herbert W. Armstrong teach on this issue? Is a railroad strike inevitable, beginning in early December? What would such a strike do to our economy? Would Congress have to intervene? If so, what would the reaction be of labor unions and left-wing Democrats? What can we learn from the history of prior railroad strikes?
“God the Father Is the Highest,” is the title of last Sabbath’s sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
There is a tendency in many churches to either under- or overemphasize the role and position of God the Father and of Jesus Christ. It is of tremendous importance that you understand the truth in this regard, as it is revealed in the pages of your Bible. This sermon will show that God is a Family and a Hierarchy, and this means, God the Father and Jesus Christ are NOT equal in authority.
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, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson
Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank
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On December 3, 2022, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Our Unique Talents” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon titled, “Shepherds and Sheep.”
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.
On November 26, 2022, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy (November 26, 2022),” and the sermon, titled, “God the Father Is the Highest.”
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.
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on November 18:
“The lords of lockdown barely escaped their worst possible fate, namely that the topic would become the national and international source of scandal that it should be. And let’s add the vaccine mandates here too: even if such had been morally justified, which they were not, there is absolutely no practical reason for them at all. To have imposed both of these within the course of one year – with zero evidence that they achieved anything for public health and vast amounts of unfolding evidence that they ruined life quality for countless millions – qualifies as a scandal for the ages. It was in the US but also in nearly every country in the world but a few.
“Might that have huge political implications? One would suppose so. And yet today it appears that truth and justice are further off than ever. The most passionate of the anti-lockdown governors – those who never locked down or opened earlier than the rest of the country – won on their record. Most of the rest joined the entire political establishment in pretending that all of this is a non-issue. Tragically, this tactic seems to have worked better than it should have….
“The US government, through the Transportation Safety Administration, has signed yet another order extending the ban on unvaccinated international visitors until January 8, 2023. This means that no person who has managed to refuse the shot is allowed to come to the US for any reason. This is 30% of the world’s population, banned even to enter the US on their own dime. Something like this would have been inconceivably illiberal three years ago, and been a source of enormous controversy and outrage. Today, the extension hardly made the news.
“The Biden administration has once again extended the Covid emergency declaration another 90 days, which continues to grant government vast powers without Congressional approval. Under a state of emergency, the Constitutional structure of the US is effectively suspended and the country remains on a wartime footing. This announcement was not controversial, and, like the above, it barely made the news.
“Many colleges and universities, and also other schools and public agencies, continue to enforce the vaccine mandate even without any solid science… given that most people have long ago been exposed and acquired natural immunity, and, moreover, it is very well established that the shots do not protect anyone from infection nor stop transmission. They just keep doing this anyway.
“Masking is not in disrepute because we never really obtained anything like an honest admission of their failure to control the spread. Even today, there is a percentage of people out there permanently traumatized. On travels, I’m seeing perhaps 10-20% but in some Northeastern cities, regular wearing of masks is also very common. Once they became a symbol of political compliance and virtue, that sealed the deal and the culture was changed. Now we face the threat of mask mandates whenever government deems it necessary because the Transportation Safety Authority has been given the go-ahead by the courts…”
And as the midterm elections have shown, a vast portion of American voters behave like indifferent and willfully ignorant sleepwalkers.
The Daily Mail wrote on November 22:
“Dr. Anthony Fauci made his final appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, triggering chaotic scenes as reporters bombarded him with questions about the origins of COVID-19… He used the occasion to hammer home a public health message, urging viewers to get the latest booster… And he suggested it was a good idea to get tested before sitting down with relatives for Thanksgiving...
“But when the briefing was turned over to questions, he faced a barrage of queries about some of the hot button… issues raised by the pandemic.
“What he had done to investigate the origins of the pandemic? Did he think gain-of-function experiments – making viruses more dangerous to test the impact of variations – were safe? And was it appropriate to fund EcoHealth Alliance, which used its money for coronavirus research in China, putting it at the heart of conspiracy theories about the emergence of COVID-19….”
So White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stepped in to shut down the questions which she was obviously unwilling to have answered, reflecting the policy of the White House to simply ignore or block questions which could become uncomfortable for the Biden Administration. (Biden refused to discuss the matter with Chinese President Xi during their last meeting). But this renewed attempt to attack the free press backfired, as the next article points out.
Fox News wrote on November 23:
“White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced renewed backlash from reporters and Twitter users alike after yelling at the press pool during Tuesday’s conference. After outgoing White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke about the administration’s vaccine efforts, Daily Caller White House correspondent Diana Glebova attempted to ask a question regarding investigations into the origin of the coronavirus. Instead of answering, Jean-Pierre rebuked Glebova for being ‘disrespectful.’… Other reporters defended Glebova’s questions which led to Jean-Pierre continuing to yell that she was ‘done’ answering their questions…
“Social media users quickly condemned Jean-Pierre’s behavior as ‘unprofessional’ and an attack on the press. Political commentator Dave Rubin remarked, ‘What a condescending, smug, absolute embarrassment KJP is…’ The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller joked, ‘An incredible display of threatening anti-journalism. This is dangerous. This is a vile threat to the very foundations of which our free press democracy is based upon. A free press that is allowed to question our government is a sacred virtue for which our Republic must safe guard.’…
“‘[Questions] about Covid origins are legitimate and every reporter [should] be asking them. This reaction from the [White House] is really weird,’ Hudson Institute senior fellow Rebecca Heinrichs wrote. Barstool Sports blogger Jack McGuire tweeted, ‘Why [does] she think she’s a 3rd grade teacher?’ ‘She’s utterly losing control of the press corps because the WH consistently spends an inordinate amount of time taking questions from the same 12 corporate reporters, day in and day out. It’s shameful…’
“Glebova herself commented on the exchange from her Twitter account. ‘I attempted to ask Fauci several times on what he personally did to demand answers into the origins of COVID-19. I always come with honest answers that Americans want to know. That’s why the White House refuses to call on me, and then calls ME ‘disrespectful,’ Glebova tweeted….”
Further willful suppression of the Truth is pointed out in the next article.
The Associated Press reported on November 18:
“The Biden administration says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s high office should shield him from a lawsuit over his role in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist, making a turnaround from Joe Biden’s passionate campaign trail denunciations of the prince over the brutal slaying.
“The administration spoke out in support of a claim of legal immunity from Prince Mohammed — Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, who also recently took the title of prime minister — against a suit brought by the fiancée of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and by the rights group Khashoggi founded, Democracy for the Arab World Now. ‘Jamal died again today,’ Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, tweeted after the U.S. filing late Thursday in her lawsuit.
“The U.S. government’s finding of immunity for the Prince Mohammed, sometimes known as MBS, is non-binding, and a judge will ultimately decide whether to grant immunity. But it angered rights activists and risked blowback from Democratic lawmakers. The U.S move came as Saudi Arabia has stepped up imprisonment and other retaliation against peaceful critics at home and abroad and has cut oil production, a move seen as undercutting efforts by the U.S. and its allies to punish Russia for its war against Ukraine…
“Saudi officials killed Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. They are believed to have dismembered him, although his remains have never been found. The U.S. intelligence community concluded Saudi Arabia’s crown prince had approved the killing of the widely known and respected journalist, who had written critically of Prince Mohammed’s harsh ways of silencing of those he considered rivals or critics…
“Biden as a Democratic presidential candidate vowed to make a ‘pariah’ out of Saudi rulers over the 2018 killing of Khashoggi… The U.S. military long has safeguarded Saudi Arabia from external enemies, in exchange for Saudi Arabia keeping global oil markets afloat.”
Despicable political actions, broken promises and lies galore! This will only end with the righteous government on Christ here on earth.
Novinite wrote on November 23:
“France was ‘in denial’ about the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine [‘until the last moment’], former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told CNN. He also accused the German government of initially preferring a quick Ukrainian military defeat to a protracted conflict… ‘This thing was a huge shock … we could see the Russian battalion tactical groups coming together, but different countries had very different points of view,’ Johnson said.
“The German view at one stage was that if this happened, which would be a disaster, then it would be better if the whole thing were over quickly and Ukraine collapsed,’ Johnson said. He said that behind the German position were ‘all kinds of reasonable economic justifications’. ‘I couldn’t support that, I thought it was a catastrophic way to look at things…’
“Johnson also criticized Italy’s initial response to the threat of invasion. At the time, the government led by Mario Draghi ‘at one stage simply said that they would not be able to support the position that we are taking’ given their ‘enormous’ dependence on Russian hydrocarbons,’ Johnson said….”
The Washington Post wrote on November 23:
“After just six weeks of intense bombing of energy infrastructure, Russia has battered Ukraine to the brink of a humanitarian disaster this winter as millions of people potentially face life-threatening conditions without electricity, heat or running water. As the scope of damage to Ukraine’s energy systems has come into focus in recent days, Ukrainian and Western officials have begun sounding the alarm but are also realizing they have limited recourse. Ukraine’s Soviet-era power system cannot be fixed quickly or easily. In some of the worst-hit cities, there is little officials can do other than to urge residents to flee — raising the risk of economic collapse in Ukraine and a spillover refugee crisis in neighboring European countries… Already, snow has fallen across much of Ukraine and temperatures are dipping below freezing in many parts of the country…
“On Wednesday, Russia pounded Ukraine with another barrage of missiles, striking energy infrastructure and residential areas across the country… and setting off blackouts in much of the country… Ukraine’s Energy Ministry, in a statement, said the bombing left the ‘great majority of consumers without power.’… Even before Wednesday’s attacks, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that about half of the country’s energy infrastructure was ‘out of order’ following the bombardment…”
The war is far from over, and the “defeat” of Russia is highly exaggerated.
ABC News wrote on November 18:
“North Korea has fired one of the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles it has ever launched with the latest having the potential… to strike the mainland of the United States. North Korea, which has launched at least 88 ballistic and other missiles this year, fired an ICBM that could travel 9,300 miles or longer, putting the U.S. mainland within its range…
“Both the militaries of the United States and South Korea militaries are analyzing the data, but North Korea’s latest launch — and its second this month — involved a missile that covered a distance of 620 miles…”
North Korea remains to be a powerful dangerous adversary of the USA.
Israel 365 wrote on November 18:
“As part of their coalition negotiations, Likud head Benjamin Netanyahu and Otzma Yehudit head Itamar Ben Gvir agreed on Wednesday to initiate several legal initiatives that would legalize dozens of Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria. The towns included in the agreement are those classified as ‘young settlements’ and were established without government authorization…
“Nearby Arab towns threatened violence targeting Jews who attempted to reestablish the communities. ‘We don’t care what was agreed, the people of our town will resist the settlers’ presence,’ Dr. Hutifa Badir from Beita, a village near Shechem and Evyatar, told the BBC. ‘We arm ourselves with the blood of martyrs and the wounded. We’re committed to our land, and we will not give up on it whatever the cost.’”
This could indeed result in further bloodshed and continuing alienation between the USA and Israel.
Breitbart wrote on November 18:
“Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) should have resigned after his party failed to win the Senate last week… McConnell offered no reason to maintain his grip on his caucus, no agenda other than working together with Democrats… Democrats want radical changes to the American way of life, and the only thing stopping them is that they are still at least one vote short of the margin needed to eliminate the filibuster in the Senate.
“McConnell was also strangely passive during the 2022 campaign. He offered no vision to inspire Republican voters, nor did he warn voters about Biden’s judicial appointees. He cast scorn on candidates backed by Donald Trump and spent millions to help Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) against GOP nominee Kelly Tshibaka in Alaska, despite the certainty that the state would be represented by a Republican, and the need for cash in other races.
“He took pride in his margin of victory, winning an internal caucus election 37 to 10, with one abstention. But to the Republican base, the fact that McConnell will keep his post despite a disappointing election is a reminder that the party establishment views its voters with contempt. In a caucus rich with young, interesting, diverse leaders, McConnell’s continued dominance makes no sense…
“McConnell will be remembered by history for his role in saving the Supreme Court from falling under left-wing control, which would have resulted in the erasure of our Constitution by judicial fiat. Beyond that, he has little to offer. Those who worry that Trump alienates moderate voters should also consider that McConnell and the establishment he represents alienate the core Republican constituency. It is long past time for him to go.”
It is mindboggling and beyond comprehension that McConnell would have been reelected as the Republican Senate Speaker, given his terrible track record. At least Pelosi is stepping down as Speaker of House Democrats, but whether her successor will be so much better will have to be seen. Little, if anything should be expected from the Republicans or Democrats in the House and the Senate—except perhaps some “compromise” in areas which will erode and do away with America’s liberties and freedoms even more.
Fox News reported on November 21:
“McCarthy, the Republican designee for the next House speaker, told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that when his party takes control of the House in January, it will make good on a long-held promise to bar Omar, Schiff and Swalwell from committees. The GOP leader said that Swalwell’s prior association with a Chinese spy, Schiff’s promotion of Russia collusion theories and Omar’s criticism of Israel were disqualifying.
“‘One thing I said from the very beginning, Eric Swalwell cannot get a security clearance in the public sector,’ said McCarthy. ‘Why would we ever give him a security clearance and the secrets to America? So, I will not allow him to be on’ the House Intelligence Committee. ‘You have Adam Schiff, who lied to the American public time and again – we will not allow him to be on the [Intelligence] Committee either,’ McCarthy added. ‘Look at Congresswoman Omar, her antisemitic comments that have gone forward. We’re not going to allow her to be on Foreign Affairs.’”
It would be more than overdue.
The Associated Press reported on November 18:
“Attorney General Merrick Garland [a Democrat who was appointed by Biden] named a special counsel on Friday to oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the Jan. 6 insurrection and efforts to undo the 2020 election. The move, which is being announced just three days after Trump announced his 2024 candidacy, is a recognition of the unmistakable political implications of two investigations that involve not only a former president but also a current White House hopeful.
“… the special counsel will still report to Garland, who has ultimate say of whether to bring charges.”
Breitbart wrote on November 18:
“Garland named John L. Smith as special counsel Friday afternoon in a televised press statement… Smith is the Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division at U.S. Department of Justice — one of the most highly politicized, left-wing departments within the agency.”
Fox News wrote on November 18:
“Senator Ted Cruz called the timing of the special counsel’s appointment problematic given that Trump had just announced his third run for the White House… ‘This is Trump derangement syndrome but this time with a gun and badge…’
“Andy Biggs… similarly said that the DOJ appeared to be more ‘politicized and weaponized’ than at any point in American history. Some, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene... even said that Republicans should use their newly won control of the U.S. House of Representatives to cut off funding for the investigation next Congress… [A demand later echoed by Fox News moderator Laura Ingraham on her TV program.]
“Republican Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, seen as a potential 2024 contender, said the special counsel appointment is ‘not good news’ for the country. The House Judiciary Committee Republicans tweeted from their account Friday, casting doubt on Smith’s ability to remain impartial in his conduct of the investigation. ‘Jack Smith and his buddies have been politicizing Washington for AGES. And he’s who AG Garland picked to be the special counsel to “investigate” President Trump? Come on,’ the tweet states…
“[Trump said] he ‘won’t partake in it’ and calling it ‘the worst politicization of justice in our country,’ while urging the Republican Party to take action… ‘They found nothing, and now they take some guy who hates Trump. This is a disgrace…’
“Trump, like many congressional Republicans, slammed the Justice Department for bias and politicization, pointing to the federal investigation into President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden [Garland has so far refused to appoint a special counsel in the Hunter Biden case.] ‘Hunter Biden is a criminal many times over and nothing happens to him,’ Trump said. ‘Joe Biden is a criminal many times over — and nothing happens to them.’…
“A Trump spokesperson said Friday that ‘this is a totally expected political stunt by a feckless, politicized, weaponized Biden Department of Justice.’’
Newsmax wrote on November 18:
“Legal experts rallied to Donald Trump’s defense Friday in criticizing Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of former federal attorney Jack Smith as special counsel to head the Department of Justice’s investigations of the former president… ‘
“‘Jack Smith is well-known and liked in leftist circles because of his role in the IRS scandal, working with Lois Lerner to illicitly target conservative groups,’ tweeted Mike Howell, head of The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project and former attorney for the House Oversight Committee…
“Mike Davis, president of the Article III Project, which advocates for constitutionalist judges, and a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, tweeted, ‘By appointing a special counsel to investigate his boss’s political enemy, Attorney General Merrick Garland continues to politicize and weaponize the Biden Justice Department — all while Garland ignores smoking-gun evidence of Biden’s foreign corruption.’
“Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, tweeted: ‘There is no good-faith basis for the any of the DOJ “investigations” of Trump, let alone a special counsel.’ And Will Chamberlain, a lawyer and member of the Article III project, called the move ‘insane and stupid.’…
“Former Vice President Mike Pence called the Justice Department’s appointment of a special counsel to investigate former President Trump ‘very troubling’… Pence pointed to ‘years of politicization at the Justice Department,’ referencing the Trump-Russia investigation. ‘There have been disclosed FBI agents falsifying documents, the FBI using a Clinton campaign-funded opposition research document to support two and a half years of the Russia hoax.’..
“Pence said he was ‘deeply troubled’ when ‘senior leadership at the Justice Department made the decision to execute a search warrant against the personal residence of the former president of the United States,’ referring to the FBI’s unprecedented raid of Mar-a-Lago in August. ‘It had never been done in history,’ he said, adding that the raid ‘sent a divisive message across the country,’ and warned that it ‘sent a wrong message about America around the world.’”
Garland authorized the highly controversial and possibly illegal raid on Trump’s property Mar-o-Lago in Florida. Republicans have said that they might investigate Garland and his Justice Department for their conduct in this regard, saying that Garland “weaponized” the Justice Department in approving the search warrant. This search warrant was obtained from a biased judge who had previously recused himself from a matter involving Trump, due to his recognized bias and conflict of interest. And so, with the appointment of a “special counsel,” who is NOT independent from the Justice Department, another additional farce and “political” witch hunt against Trump will continue.
Laura Ingraham also interviewed on her show on November 18 Mike Davis, Article III Project President, former Chief Counsel for Nominations to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, former clerk for US Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, and former civil litigator for about 15 years, stating that Trump, as former President, had the absolute right under the President Record Act to take personal copies of the presidential record, and that therefore the entire investigation in this regard revolves around a “non-crime.” The other aspect of the “investigation,” Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, and his “invitation” to demonstrate “peacefully and patriotically,” obviously does not constitute a crime either.
Outraged Republicans have a point, when they complain about Garland’s highly problematic actions, but what will they do? When will the American people finally have enough of this political theater? Or will they ever? Or do they even care?
Newsmax wrote on November 20:
“Former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share his opinion on midterm elections and President Joe Biden. ‘Our Country has never seen a Weaponized “Justice” Department, and FBI, like they are witnessing right now,’ Trump wrote…
“They are doing everything they can, much of it unlawful, to protect an incompetent and corrupt President, and his drug addicted criminal son. The system is Tainted and Rigged, just like our Elections are Tainted and Rigged, and just like our Border is for sale to the highest bidder, OPEN, and a disgrace to humanity. In the meantime, our Country is failing at a level never seen before!!!’…
“Trump has seemingly rejected returning to Twitter… Trump said he… was a fan of Musk, but appeared to reject any return to the platform. ‘I don’t see it, because I don’t see any reason for it,’ he said.”
The mass media is even repeating continuously the big lie that no evidence exists that Joe Biden had any knowledge of or was in any way involved with his son’s business dealings. Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on November 21:
“Some of us have written for two years that Biden’s denial of knowledge is patently false… reporters are invested in the illusion… [They] have to insist that there was nothing to see or they have to admit to being part of the original deception. The media cannot see… without the public seeing something about the media in its past efforts to conceal it. The media is now so heavily invested in the trick that they are sticking with the illusion…”
The Washington Free Beacon wrote on November 17:
“House Republicans on Thursday laid out plans to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, calling the probe ‘a top priority’ for the GOP in the new Congress.
“Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.), who will chair the House Oversight Committee next year, said Republicans will explore ‘all avenues’ of the Biden family’s business activity in China and Ukraine. Comer alleged that President Biden has ‘lied’ by claiming he never discussed business with his son. ‘This is an investigation of Joe Biden, the president of the United States, and why he lied to the American people about his participation in his family’s international business schemes,’ said Comer, who claimed the committee has uncovered evidence that Hunter Biden committed wire fraud and violated foreign agent laws…”
The Associated Press wrote on November 21:
“A year and a half before he was arrested in the Colorado Springs gay nightclub shooting that left five people dead, Anderson Lee Aldrich allegedly threatened his mother with a homemade bomb, forcing neighbors in surrounding homes to evacuate while the bomb squad and crisis negotiators talked him into surrendering. Yet despite that scare, there’s no public record that prosecutors moved forward with felony kidnapping and menacing charges against Aldrich, or that police or relatives tried to trigger Colorado’s ‘red flag’ law that would have allowed authorities to seize the weapons and ammo the man’s mother says he had with him.
“Gun control advocates say Aldrich’s June 2021 threat is an example of a red flag law ignored, with potentially deadly consequences. While it’s not clear the law could have prevented Saturday night’s attack — such gun seizures can be in effect for as little as 14 days and be extended by a judge in six-month increments — they say it could have at least slowed Aldrich and raised his profile with law enforcement…
“But the law that allows guns to be removed from people deemed dangerous to themselves or others has seldom been used in the state, particularly in El Paso County, home to Colorado Springs, where the 22-year-old Aldrich allegedly went into Club Q with a long gun at just before midnight and opened fire before he was subdued by patrons. An Associated Press analysis found Colorado has one of the lowest rates of red flag usage despite widespread gun ownership and several high-profile mass shootings… El Paso County appears especially hostile to the law…”
The following articles give further information about the alleged shooter.
The Washington Post wrote on November 21:
“Years before he allegedly walked into a Colorado LGBTQ bar with an assault-style rifle, the man now known as Anderson Lee Aldrich had a different name, and a tumultuous past. Until age 15, he was known as Nicholas Brink, living in San Antonio, public records show. His parents separated when he was a toddler, and when he was 12, his mother, Laura Voepel, was arrested for suspected arson, according to court documents. She was later found guilty of a lesser offense in connection with the same incident.
“At age 15, he became the target of a particularly vicious bout of online bullying in which insulting accusations were posted to a website, along with his name, photos and online aliases… At some point, a YouTube account was created under his name, featuring a crude, profanity-laden animation under the title, ‘Asian homosexual gets molested.’…
“Whether the events of Aldrich’s childhood had any bearing on Saturday’s horrific violence is unknown…
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed in a statement to The Post that the alleged shooter was on the membership rolls of the church but had not been active in the Colorado Springs locations to the best of their knowledge. The church, which until 2019 described people in same-sex marriages as ‘apostates,’ condemned the shooting in a statement: ‘The senseless act of violence in Colorado Springs is of great sadness and concern to us. We are greatly troubled by any violence in our communities and condemn most especially violent acts that are the result of intolerance against any of God’s children.’…”
cbc news reported on November 22:
“The suspect in the shooting at Club Q, a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub, is now identifying as non-binary, according to court filings filed Tuesday. ‘Anderson Aldrich is non-binary. They use they/them pronouns, and for the purposes of all formal filings, will be addressed as Mx. Aldrich,’ a footnote in a court filing reads… The shooting occurred Saturday night into early Sunday morning, on the start of Transgender Remembrance Day, which honors transgender people who have been murdered.”
For an in-depth analysis, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Why Mass Murder in Colorado’s Gay Nightclub?”
The Brussels Times wrote on November 17:
“Belgium is banning conversion practices – a… practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms – for members of the LGBTQ community, announced State Secretary… Schlitz… From now on, carrying out conversion practices will be punishable by imprisonment of one month to two years and/or a fine of €100 to €300.
“The court will also take into account whether the offence was committed by a person in a recognised position of trust, authority or influence over the victim and whether the offence was committed against a minor or a person in a vulnerable situation.
“Suggesting or inciting conversion practices, directly or indirectly, will also be penalised. The court will be able to prohibit people convicted of conversion practices from carrying out a professional or social activity related to the commission of these offences for a maximum period of five years.”
Reading between the lines, many will be afraid to even suggest the biblical Truth that the practice of homosexuality is wrong.
The Associated Press wrote on November 18:
“Italy’s Catholic bishops provided their first accounting of clergy sexual abuse and revealed Thursday that more than 600 cases from Italy were on file at the Vatican since 2000…
“The Vatican in 2001 required dioceses around the world to send all their credible reports of abuse to the dicastery for processing. The Vatican had felt compelled to act after decades in which bishops and religious superiors moved predator priests around from diocese to diocese rather than punishing them or reporting them to police… reports in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and France identified systematic problems that allowed thousands of children to be abused by Catholic priests.
“In France, a panel of independent experts estimated that 330,000 children were sexually abused over 70 years by some 3,000 priests and church personnel, and that the crimes were covered up ‘systematically’ by the church hierarchy…”
Euractiv wrote on November 17:
“As part of an agreement on the future trade policy agenda reached last Friday (11 November), Germany’s centre-left ‘traffic light’ coalition agreed to attempt to restart trade negotiations for a free-trade area encompassing the EU and the US.
“The last attempt at such an agreement, the negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), failed after Donald Trump took office as US president in 2017. Yet the German push to revitalise the talks is likely to fail, with even business representatives being sceptical about the success chances… This view was echoed by the European Commission, saying that negotiations for a new, TTIP-style trade agreement were ‘not on the agenda’.”
Axios wrote on November 21:
“The 2022 World Cup has been marred by controversy from the very start, and the stench of FIFA’s corruption and Qatar’s human rights abuses still lingers as the event gets underway.
“100 years ago, Qatar was a sparsely populated British protectorate. Then, after discovering oil (1939) and one of Earth’s largest natural gas reserves (1960), it transformed into an incredibly wealthy nation. By the turn of the century, Qatar was a major player in global politics. But a desire for more prestige and clout led the country, much like its Gulf neighbors, to a potent source: soccer.
“Qataris acquired French club Paris Saint-Germain and launched beIN Sports, big moves that shook up Europe. But the crown jewel was the World Cup. Qatar was named host in 2010, a stunning development that triggered bribery accusations [There is little doubt that bribery took place, and even famous soccer stars like Franz Beckenbauer were allegedly involved.] 18 members of FIFA’s 24-person executive committee have since been implicated in or investigated for illicit activity, and the global governing body’s reputation has been irrevocably damaged…
“85% of Qatar’s population of 3 million are foreign workers, and rights groups have been documenting abusers and harsh conditions. Last year, The Guardian revealed that about 6,500 workers from South Asia had died since Qatar was awarded the World Cup.
“There are concerns about LGBTQ fans descending on Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal… Other controversies include beer bans on stadiums [and] press freedom… Seven European teams announced this morning that their captains will no longer wear rainbow OneLove armbands after FIFA said players would be sanctioned… [FIFA also prohibited displaying the word “love” on players’ shirts.] 54% of Americans say that FIFA shouldn’t have awarded the World Cup to Qatar…”
Sadly, the world’s most popular sport—soccer—has become a political arena run by corrupt FIFA officials and their supporters. Such as politics in general.
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.
On November 26, 2022, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy (November 26, 2022),” and the sermon, titled, “God the Father Is the Highest.”
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.
by Michael Link
We all have talents. How we use the talents we have is the next step. For God’s people, there are specific talents God has given us so we can use them in a way that will bring us to the most important goal that has been set aside for us. We individually are responsible for ourselves, for we individually will give account for everything that we have done and based on how we have lived our lives, we will then receive our reward. Jesus Christ speaks about the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30, starting off by saying in verse 14, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.”
In the next verse, talents were given to each according to their own abilities. Everyone is different and goes through different trials, some more than others. The example of Job comes to mind who lost everything and yet his self-righteousness was tested, just like that which happened to Lucifer, before he became Satan the Devil. The only difference here was that Job finally recognized his problem and asked for forgiveness, unlike Satan. Self-righteousness and pride got the better of Lucifer.
Another example of someone who most likely went through so much more than we have endured was the Apostle Paul, and he proved himself worthy through the talents that he had been given, putting them to beneficial use as we can correlate this with the profitable servants in the following two verses in Matthew 25:16-17. However, in verse 18, the one who received a talent and hid it in the ground did not put it to good use.
After a while, in verse 19, “the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them” based on what they did individually, which refers to the Day of Judgement where all will give account for what they have said and done (compare Matthew 12:36).
In the following verses (20-23), those who received certain talents and used them wisely had overcome according to their abilities. The lord states, however, “you have been faithful over a few things,” but not everything, for they were not perfect, but they didn’t give up and they stuck with the Truth and put their talents to use, based on their abilities. God will not test us beyond our control. And yet the lord still made them ruler “over many things.”
This was not the same fate of the one who tried to justify his reasoning by hiding his talent in the ground (verses 24-25). The lord described this person as wicked in verse 26 because this servant didn’t stand up and therefore gave in, compromised, and was not bold enough to stand for the Truth which would eventually lead him to unrighteousness and sin. This servant knew all these things; he knew God’s Way of Life with its trials, and he knew that God would punish disobedience, as he himself described in verse 24, KNOWING what was right and wrong.
In verse 27, God was specific in His instructions, in His Law, how we are to obey, what we are to do, because it has been given to those who have been called to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to all those who haven’t been called, it has not been given (compare Matthew 13:11). This servant KNEW this, or else why would he have been afraid?
His talent will be taken from him as explained in verse 28 and given to another servant. Continuing in verse 29, “for to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Remember our crown of life, for we are to hold fast to what we have so it won’t be taken away and given to someone else (compare Revelation 3:11). People come and go, as we have all witnessed throughout the years. When someone leaves God’s Church, that someone will be replaced by someone else whom God calls.
Everything that we see around us is physical and only temporary anyway. The chance for Eternal Life will also be taken away if we are negligent in using our God-given talents in an irresponsible way. The Parable of the Talents is a valuable lesson for us all and we can be forever thankful for the gift of knowledge that God has given us, but we still need to do our part so we can be counted worthy to enter His Kingdom and not end up like the unprofitable servant.
by Norbert Link
We begin this section with the “scandal of the ages,” referring to the evidence that coronavirus measures and restrictions were not only useless, but damaged and ruined the lives of millions of people; continue with Dr. Fauci’s “farewell debacle” which led to another attack by the White House on the free press; and show how America has been suppressing the truth in regard to Saudi Arabia.
We continue with strong accusations by Boris Johnson against France, Germany and Italy pertaining to Ukraine; and give further news about the “Ukrainian disaster.” We also address the ongoing provocative actions of North Korea and Israel’s intent to legalize towns in Judea and Samaria.
We speak on the incredible reelection of Mitch McConnel as the Republican Senate Speaker; Kevin McCarthy’s announcement that his party will block certain Democrats from serving on committees; and Attorney General Merrick Garland’s controversial appointment of John L. Smith as special counsel to investigate Donald Trump, while House Republicans intend to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden.
We speak on the mass murder in Colorado Springs (for an in-depth analysis of the possible causes and solutions, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Why Mass Murder in Colorado’s Gay Nightclub?”).
We address the prohibition in Belgium to suggest or conduct conversion therapies; the ongoing sex scandal in the Catholic Church; failing trade negotiations between the USA and Europe, and FIFA, the corrupt soccer association responsible for the world cup being held in Qatar.
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on November 18:
“The lords of lockdown barely escaped their worst possible fate, namely that the topic would become the national and international source of scandal that it should be. And let’s add the vaccine mandates here too: even if such had been morally justified, which they were not, there is absolutely no practical reason for them at all. To have imposed both of these within the course of one year – with zero evidence that they achieved anything for public health and vast amounts of unfolding evidence that they ruined life quality for countless millions – qualifies as a scandal for the ages. It was in the US but also in nearly every country in the world but a few.
“Might that have huge political implications? One would suppose so. And yet today it appears that truth and justice are further off than ever. The most passionate of the anti-lockdown governors – those who never locked down or opened earlier than the rest of the country – won on their record. Most of the rest joined the entire political establishment in pretending that all of this is a non-issue. Tragically, this tactic seems to have worked better than it should have….
“The US government, through the Transportation Safety Administration, has signed yet another order extending the ban on unvaccinated international visitors until January 8, 2023. This means that no person who has managed to refuse the shot is allowed to come to the US for any reason. This is 30% of the world’s population, banned even to enter the US on their own dime. Something like this would have been inconceivably illiberal three years ago, and been a source of enormous controversy and outrage. Today, the extension hardly made the news.
“The Biden administration has once again extended the Covid emergency declaration another 90 days, which continues to grant government vast powers without Congressional approval. Under a state of emergency, the Constitutional structure of the US is effectively suspended and the country remains on a wartime footing. This announcement was not controversial, and, like the above, it barely made the news.
“Many colleges and universities, and also other schools and public agencies, continue to enforce the vaccine mandate even without any solid science… given that most people have long ago been exposed and acquired natural immunity, and, moreover, it is very well established that the shots do not protect anyone from infection nor stop transmission. They just keep doing this anyway.
“Masking is not in disrepute because we never really obtained anything like an honest admission of their failure to control the spread. Even today, there is a percentage of people out there permanently traumatized. On travels, I’m seeing perhaps 10-20% but in some Northeastern cities, regular wearing of masks is also very common. Once they became a symbol of political compliance and virtue, that sealed the deal and the culture was changed. Now we face the threat of mask mandates whenever government deems it necessary because the Transportation Safety Authority has been given the go-ahead by the courts…”
And as the midterm elections have shown, a vast portion of American voters behave like indifferent and willfully ignorant sleepwalkers.
The Daily Mail wrote on November 22:
“Dr. Anthony Fauci made his final appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, triggering chaotic scenes as reporters bombarded him with questions about the origins of COVID-19… He used the occasion to hammer home a public health message, urging viewers to get the latest booster… And he suggested it was a good idea to get tested before sitting down with relatives for Thanksgiving...
“But when the briefing was turned over to questions, he faced a barrage of queries about some of the hot button… issues raised by the pandemic.
“What he had done to investigate the origins of the pandemic? Did he think gain-of-function experiments – making viruses more dangerous to test the impact of variations – were safe? And was it appropriate to fund EcoHealth Alliance, which used its money for coronavirus research in China, putting it at the heart of conspiracy theories about the emergence of COVID-19….”
So White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stepped in to shut down the questions which she was obviously unwilling to have answered, reflecting the policy of the White House to simply ignore or block questions which could become uncomfortable for the Biden Administration. (Biden refused to discuss the matter with Chinese President Xi during their last meeting). But this renewed attempt to attack the free press backfired, as the next article points out.
Fox News wrote on November 23:
“White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced renewed backlash from reporters and Twitter users alike after yelling at the press pool during Tuesday’s conference. After outgoing White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke about the administration’s vaccine efforts, Daily Caller White House correspondent Diana Glebova attempted to ask a question regarding investigations into the origin of the coronavirus. Instead of answering, Jean-Pierre rebuked Glebova for being ‘disrespectful.’… Other reporters defended Glebova’s questions which led to Jean-Pierre continuing to yell that she was ‘done’ answering their questions…
“Social media users quickly condemned Jean-Pierre’s behavior as ‘unprofessional’ and an attack on the press. Political commentator Dave Rubin remarked, ‘What a condescending, smug, absolute embarrassment KJP is…’ The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller joked, ‘An incredible display of threatening anti-journalism. This is dangerous. This is a vile threat to the very foundations of which our free press democracy is based upon. A free press that is allowed to question our government is a sacred virtue for which our Republic must safe guard.’…
“‘[Questions] about Covid origins are legitimate and every reporter [should] be asking them. This reaction from the [White House] is really weird,’ Hudson Institute senior fellow Rebecca Heinrichs wrote. Barstool Sports blogger Jack McGuire tweeted, ‘Why [does] she think she’s a 3rd grade teacher?’ ‘She’s utterly losing control of the press corps because the WH consistently spends an inordinate amount of time taking questions from the same 12 corporate reporters, day in and day out. It’s shameful…’
“Glebova herself commented on the exchange from her Twitter account. ‘I attempted to ask Fauci several times on what he personally did to demand answers into the origins of COVID-19. I always come with honest answers that Americans want to know. That’s why the White House refuses to call on me, and then calls ME ‘disrespectful,’ Glebova tweeted….”
Further willful suppression of the Truth is pointed out in the next article.
The Associated Press reported on November 18:
“The Biden administration says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s high office should shield him from a lawsuit over his role in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist, making a turnaround from Joe Biden’s passionate campaign trail denunciations of the prince over the brutal slaying.
“The administration spoke out in support of a claim of legal immunity from Prince Mohammed — Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, who also recently took the title of prime minister — against a suit brought by the fiancée of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and by the rights group Khashoggi founded, Democracy for the Arab World Now. ‘Jamal died again today,’ Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, tweeted after the U.S. filing late Thursday in her lawsuit.
“The U.S. government’s finding of immunity for the Prince Mohammed, sometimes known as MBS, is non-binding, and a judge will ultimately decide whether to grant immunity. But it angered rights activists and risked blowback from Democratic lawmakers. The U.S move came as Saudi Arabia has stepped up imprisonment and other retaliation against peaceful critics at home and abroad and has cut oil production, a move seen as undercutting efforts by the U.S. and its allies to punish Russia for its war against Ukraine…
“Saudi officials killed Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. They are believed to have dismembered him, although his remains have never been found. The U.S. intelligence community concluded Saudi Arabia’s crown prince had approved the killing of the widely known and respected journalist, who had written critically of Prince Mohammed’s harsh ways of silencing of those he considered rivals or critics…
“Biden as a Democratic presidential candidate vowed to make a ‘pariah’ out of Saudi rulers over the 2018 killing of Khashoggi… The U.S. military long has safeguarded Saudi Arabia from external enemies, in exchange for Saudi Arabia keeping global oil markets afloat.”
Despicable political actions, broken promises and lies galore! This will only end with the righteous government on Christ here on earth.
Novinite wrote on November 23:
“France was ‘in denial’ about the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine [‘until the last moment’], former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told CNN. He also accused the German government of initially preferring a quick Ukrainian military defeat to a protracted conflict… ‘This thing was a huge shock … we could see the Russian battalion tactical groups coming together, but different countries had very different points of view,’ Johnson said.
“The German view at one stage was that if this happened, which would be a disaster, then it would be better if the whole thing were over quickly and Ukraine collapsed,’ Johnson said. He said that behind the German position were ‘all kinds of reasonable economic justifications’. ‘I couldn’t support that, I thought it was a catastrophic way to look at things…’
“Johnson also criticized Italy’s initial response to the threat of invasion. At the time, the government led by Mario Draghi ‘at one stage simply said that they would not be able to support the position that we are taking’ given their ‘enormous’ dependence on Russian hydrocarbons,’ Johnson said….”
The Washington Post wrote on November 23:
“After just six weeks of intense bombing of energy infrastructure, Russia has battered Ukraine to the brink of a humanitarian disaster this winter as millions of people potentially face life-threatening conditions without electricity, heat or running water. As the scope of damage to Ukraine’s energy systems has come into focus in recent days, Ukrainian and Western officials have begun sounding the alarm but are also realizing they have limited recourse. Ukraine’s Soviet-era power system cannot be fixed quickly or easily. In some of the worst-hit cities, there is little officials can do other than to urge residents to flee — raising the risk of economic collapse in Ukraine and a spillover refugee crisis in neighboring European countries… Already, snow has fallen across much of Ukraine and temperatures are dipping below freezing in many parts of the country…
“On Wednesday, Russia pounded Ukraine with another barrage of missiles, striking energy infrastructure and residential areas across the country… and setting off blackouts in much of the country… Ukraine’s Energy Ministry, in a statement, said the bombing left the ‘great majority of consumers without power.’… Even before Wednesday’s attacks, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that about half of the country’s energy infrastructure was ‘out of order’ following the bombardment…”
The war is far from over, and the “defeat” of Russia is highly exaggerated.
ABC News wrote on November 18:
“North Korea has fired one of the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles it has ever launched with the latest having the potential… to strike the mainland of the United States. North Korea, which has launched at least 88 ballistic and other missiles this year, fired an ICBM that could travel 9,300 miles or longer, putting the U.S. mainland within its range…
“Both the militaries of the United States and South Korea militaries are analyzing the data, but North Korea’s latest launch — and its second this month — involved a missile that covered a distance of 620 miles…”
North Korea remains to be a powerful dangerous adversary of the USA.
Israel 365 wrote on November 18:
“As part of their coalition negotiations, Likud head Benjamin Netanyahu and Otzma Yehudit head Itamar Ben Gvir agreed on Wednesday to initiate several legal initiatives that would legalize dozens of Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria. The towns included in the agreement are those classified as ‘young settlements’ and were established without government authorization…
“Nearby Arab towns threatened violence targeting Jews who attempted to reestablish the communities. ‘We don’t care what was agreed, the people of our town will resist the settlers’ presence,’ Dr. Hutifa Badir from Beita, a village near Shechem and Evyatar, told the BBC. ‘We arm ourselves with the blood of martyrs and the wounded. We’re committed to our land, and we will not give up on it whatever the cost.’”
This could indeed result in further bloodshed and continuing alienation between the USA and Israel.
Breitbart wrote on November 18:
“Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) should have resigned after his party failed to win the Senate last week… McConnell offered no reason to maintain his grip on his caucus, no agenda other than working together with Democrats… Democrats want radical changes to the American way of life, and the only thing stopping them is that they are still at least one vote short of the margin needed to eliminate the filibuster in the Senate.
“McConnell was also strangely passive during the 2022 campaign. He offered no vision to inspire Republican voters, nor did he warn voters about Biden’s judicial appointees. He cast scorn on candidates backed by Donald Trump and spent millions to help Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) against GOP nominee Kelly Tshibaka in Alaska, despite the certainty that the state would be represented by a Republican, and the need for cash in other races.
“He took pride in his margin of victory, winning an internal caucus election 37 to 10, with one abstention. But to the Republican base, the fact that McConnell will keep his post despite a disappointing election is a reminder that the party establishment views its voters with contempt. In a caucus rich with young, interesting, diverse leaders, McConnell’s continued dominance makes no sense…
“McConnell will be remembered by history for his role in saving the Supreme Court from falling under left-wing control, which would have resulted in the erasure of our Constitution by judicial fiat. Beyond that, he has little to offer. Those who worry that Trump alienates moderate voters should also consider that McConnell and the establishment he represents alienate the core Republican constituency. It is long past time for him to go.”
It is mindboggling and beyond comprehension that McConnell would have been reelected as the Republican Senate Speaker, given his terrible track record. At least Pelosi is stepping down as Speaker of House Democrats, but whether her successor will be so much better will have to be seen. Little, if anything should be expected from the Republicans or Democrats in the House and the Senate—except perhaps some “compromise” in areas which will erode and do away with America’s liberties and freedoms even more.
Fox News reported on November 21:
“McCarthy, the Republican designee for the next House speaker, told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that when his party takes control of the House in January, it will make good on a long-held promise to bar Omar, Schiff and Swalwell from committees. The GOP leader said that Swalwell’s prior association with a Chinese spy, Schiff’s promotion of Russia collusion theories and Omar’s criticism of Israel were disqualifying.
“‘One thing I said from the very beginning, Eric Swalwell cannot get a security clearance in the public sector,’ said McCarthy. ‘Why would we ever give him a security clearance and the secrets to America? So, I will not allow him to be on’ the House Intelligence Committee. ‘You have Adam Schiff, who lied to the American public time and again – we will not allow him to be on the [Intelligence] Committee either,’ McCarthy added. ‘Look at Congresswoman Omar, her antisemitic comments that have gone forward. We’re not going to allow her to be on Foreign Affairs.’”
It would be more than overdue.
The Associated Press reported on November 18:
“Attorney General Merrick Garland [a Democrat who was appointed by Biden] named a special counsel on Friday to oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the Jan. 6 insurrection and efforts to undo the 2020 election. The move, which is being announced just three days after Trump announced his 2024 candidacy, is a recognition of the unmistakable political implications of two investigations that involve not only a former president but also a current White House hopeful.
“… the special counsel will still report to Garland, who has ultimate say of whether to bring charges.”
Breitbart wrote on November 18:
“Garland named John L. Smith as special counsel Friday afternoon in a televised press statement… Smith is the Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division at U.S. Department of Justice — one of the most highly politicized, left-wing departments within the agency.”
Fox News wrote on November 18:
“Senator Ted Cruz called the timing of the special counsel’s appointment problematic given that Trump had just announced his third run for the White House… ‘This is Trump derangement syndrome but this time with a gun and badge…’
“Andy Biggs… similarly said that the DOJ appeared to be more ‘politicized and weaponized’ than at any point in American history. Some, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene... even said that Republicans should use their newly won control of the U.S. House of Representatives to cut off funding for the investigation next Congress… [A demand later echoed by Fox News moderator Laura Ingraham on her TV program.]
“Republican Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, seen as a potential 2024 contender, said the special counsel appointment is ‘not good news’ for the country. The House Judiciary Committee Republicans tweeted from their account Friday, casting doubt on Smith’s ability to remain impartial in his conduct of the investigation. ‘Jack Smith and his buddies have been politicizing Washington for AGES. And he’s who AG Garland picked to be the special counsel to “investigate” President Trump? Come on,’ the tweet states…
“[Trump said] he ‘won’t partake in it’ and calling it ‘the worst politicization of justice in our country,’ while urging the Republican Party to take action… ‘They found nothing, and now they take some guy who hates Trump. This is a disgrace…’
“Trump, like many congressional Republicans, slammed the Justice Department for bias and politicization, pointing to the federal investigation into President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden [Garland has so far refused to appoint a special counsel in the Hunter Biden case.] ‘Hunter Biden is a criminal many times over and nothing happens to him,’ Trump said. ‘Joe Biden is a criminal many times over — and nothing happens to them.’…
“A Trump spokesperson said Friday that ‘this is a totally expected political stunt by a feckless, politicized, weaponized Biden Department of Justice.’’
Newsmax wrote on November 18:
“Legal experts rallied to Donald Trump’s defense Friday in criticizing Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of former federal attorney Jack Smith as special counsel to head the Department of Justice’s investigations of the former president… ‘
“‘Jack Smith is well-known and liked in leftist circles because of his role in the IRS scandal, working with Lois Lerner to illicitly target conservative groups,’ tweeted Mike Howell, head of The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project and former attorney for the House Oversight Committee…
“Mike Davis, president of the Article III Project, which advocates for constitutionalist judges, and a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, tweeted, ‘By appointing a special counsel to investigate his boss’s political enemy, Attorney General Merrick Garland continues to politicize and weaponize the Biden Justice Department — all while Garland ignores smoking-gun evidence of Biden’s foreign corruption.’
“Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, tweeted: ‘There is no good-faith basis for the any of the DOJ “investigations” of Trump, let alone a special counsel.’ And Will Chamberlain, a lawyer and member of the Article III project, called the move ‘insane and stupid.’…
“Former Vice President Mike Pence called the Justice Department’s appointment of a special counsel to investigate former President Trump ‘very troubling’… Pence pointed to ‘years of politicization at the Justice Department,’ referencing the Trump-Russia investigation. ‘There have been disclosed FBI agents falsifying documents, the FBI using a Clinton campaign-funded opposition research document to support two and a half years of the Russia hoax.’..
“Pence said he was ‘deeply troubled’ when ‘senior leadership at the Justice Department made the decision to execute a search warrant against the personal residence of the former president of the United States,’ referring to the FBI’s unprecedented raid of Mar-a-Lago in August. ‘It had never been done in history,’ he said, adding that the raid ‘sent a divisive message across the country,’ and warned that it ‘sent a wrong message about America around the world.’”
Garland authorized the highly controversial and possibly illegal raid on Trump’s property Mar-o-Lago in Florida. Republicans have said that they might investigate Garland and his Justice Department for their conduct in this regard, saying that Garland “weaponized” the Justice Department in approving the search warrant. This search warrant was obtained from a biased judge who had previously recused himself from a matter involving Trump, due to his recognized bias and conflict of interest. And so, with the appointment of a “special counsel,” who is NOT independent from the Justice Department, another additional farce and “political” witch hunt against Trump will continue.
Laura Ingraham also interviewed on her show on November 18 Mike Davis, Article III Project President, former Chief Counsel for Nominations to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, former clerk for US Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, and former civil litigator for about 15 years, stating that Trump, as former President, had the absolute right under the President Record Act to take personal copies of the presidential record, and that therefore the entire investigation in this regard revolves around a “non-crime.” The other aspect of the “investigation,” Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, and his “invitation” to demonstrate “peacefully and patriotically,” obviously does not constitute a crime either.
Outraged Republicans have a point, when they complain about Garland’s highly problematic actions, but what will they do? When will the American people finally have enough of this political theater? Or will they ever? Or do they even care?
Newsmax wrote on November 20:
“Former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share his opinion on midterm elections and President Joe Biden. ‘Our Country has never seen a Weaponized “Justice” Department, and FBI, like they are witnessing right now,’ Trump wrote…
“They are doing everything they can, much of it unlawful, to protect an incompetent and corrupt President, and his drug addicted criminal son. The system is Tainted and Rigged, just like our Elections are Tainted and Rigged, and just like our Border is for sale to the highest bidder, OPEN, and a disgrace to humanity. In the meantime, our Country is failing at a level never seen before!!!’…
“Trump has seemingly rejected returning to Twitter… Trump said he… was a fan of Musk, but appeared to reject any return to the platform. ‘I don’t see it, because I don’t see any reason for it,’ he said.”
The mass media is even repeating continuously the big lie that no evidence exists that Joe Biden had any knowledge of or was in any way involved with his son’s business dealings. Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on November 21:
“Some of us have written for two years that Biden’s denial of knowledge is patently false… reporters are invested in the illusion… [They] have to insist that there was nothing to see or they have to admit to being part of the original deception. The media cannot see… without the public seeing something about the media in its past efforts to conceal it. The media is now so heavily invested in the trick that they are sticking with the illusion…”
The Washington Free Beacon wrote on November 17:
“House Republicans on Thursday laid out plans to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, calling the probe ‘a top priority’ for the GOP in the new Congress.
“Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.), who will chair the House Oversight Committee next year, said Republicans will explore ‘all avenues’ of the Biden family’s business activity in China and Ukraine. Comer alleged that President Biden has ‘lied’ by claiming he never discussed business with his son. ‘This is an investigation of Joe Biden, the president of the United States, and why he lied to the American people about his participation in his family’s international business schemes,’ said Comer, who claimed the committee has uncovered evidence that Hunter Biden committed wire fraud and violated foreign agent laws…”
The Associated Press wrote on November 21:
“A year and a half before he was arrested in the Colorado Springs gay nightclub shooting that left five people dead, Anderson Lee Aldrich allegedly threatened his mother with a homemade bomb, forcing neighbors in surrounding homes to evacuate while the bomb squad and crisis negotiators talked him into surrendering. Yet despite that scare, there’s no public record that prosecutors moved forward with felony kidnapping and menacing charges against Aldrich, or that police or relatives tried to trigger Colorado’s ‘red flag’ law that would have allowed authorities to seize the weapons and ammo the man’s mother says he had with him.
“Gun control advocates say Aldrich’s June 2021 threat is an example of a red flag law ignored, with potentially deadly consequences. While it’s not clear the law could have prevented Saturday night’s attack — such gun seizures can be in effect for as little as 14 days and be extended by a judge in six-month increments — they say it could have at least slowed Aldrich and raised his profile with law enforcement…
“But the law that allows guns to be removed from people deemed dangerous to themselves or others has seldom been used in the state, particularly in El Paso County, home to Colorado Springs, where the 22-year-old Aldrich allegedly went into Club Q with a long gun at just before midnight and opened fire before he was subdued by patrons. An Associated Press analysis found Colorado has one of the lowest rates of red flag usage despite widespread gun ownership and several high-profile mass shootings… El Paso County appears especially hostile to the law…”
The following articles give further information about the alleged shooter.
The Washington Post wrote on November 21:
“Years before he allegedly walked into a Colorado LGBTQ bar with an assault-style rifle, the man now known as Anderson Lee Aldrich had a different name, and a tumultuous past. Until age 15, he was known as Nicholas Brink, living in San Antonio, public records show. His parents separated when he was a toddler, and when he was 12, his mother, Laura Voepel, was arrested for suspected arson, according to court documents. She was later found guilty of a lesser offense in connection with the same incident.
“At age 15, he became the target of a particularly vicious bout of online bullying in which insulting accusations were posted to a website, along with his name, photos and online aliases… At some point, a YouTube account was created under his name, featuring a crude, profanity-laden animation under the title, ‘Asian homosexual gets molested.’…
“Whether the events of Aldrich’s childhood had any bearing on Saturday’s horrific violence is unknown…
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed in a statement to The Post that the alleged shooter was on the membership rolls of the church but had not been active in the Colorado Springs locations to the best of their knowledge. The church, which until 2019 described people in same-sex marriages as ‘apostates,’ condemned the shooting in a statement: ‘The senseless act of violence in Colorado Springs is of great sadness and concern to us. We are greatly troubled by any violence in our communities and condemn most especially violent acts that are the result of intolerance against any of God’s children.’…”
cbc news reported on November 22:
“The suspect in the shooting at Club Q, a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub, is now identifying as non-binary, according to court filings filed Tuesday. ‘Anderson Aldrich is non-binary. They use they/them pronouns, and for the purposes of all formal filings, will be addressed as Mx. Aldrich,’ a footnote in a court filing reads… The shooting occurred Saturday night into early Sunday morning, on the start of Transgender Remembrance Day, which honors transgender people who have been murdered.”
For an in-depth analysis, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Why Mass Murder in Colorado’s Gay Nightclub?”
The Brussels Times wrote on November 17:
“Belgium is banning conversion practices – a… practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms – for members of the LGBTQ community, announced State Secretary… Schlitz… From now on, carrying out conversion practices will be punishable by imprisonment of one month to two years and/or a fine of €100 to €300.
“The court will also take into account whether the offence was committed by a person in a recognised position of trust, authority or influence over the victim and whether the offence was committed against a minor or a person in a vulnerable situation.
“Suggesting or inciting conversion practices, directly or indirectly, will also be penalised. The court will be able to prohibit people convicted of conversion practices from carrying out a professional or social activity related to the commission of these offences for a maximum period of five years.”
Reading between the lines, many will be afraid to even suggest the biblical Truth that the practice of homosexuality is wrong.
The Associated Press wrote on November 18:
“Italy’s Catholic bishops provided their first accounting of clergy sexual abuse and revealed Thursday that more than 600 cases from Italy were on file at the Vatican since 2000…
“The Vatican in 2001 required dioceses around the world to send all their credible reports of abuse to the dicastery for processing. The Vatican had felt compelled to act after decades in which bishops and religious superiors moved predator priests around from diocese to diocese rather than punishing them or reporting them to police… reports in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and France identified systematic problems that allowed thousands of children to be abused by Catholic priests.
“In France, a panel of independent experts estimated that 330,000 children were sexually abused over 70 years by some 3,000 priests and church personnel, and that the crimes were covered up ‘systematically’ by the church hierarchy…”
Euractiv wrote on November 17:
“As part of an agreement on the future trade policy agenda reached last Friday (11 November), Germany’s centre-left ‘traffic light’ coalition agreed to attempt to restart trade negotiations for a free-trade area encompassing the EU and the US.
“The last attempt at such an agreement, the negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), failed after Donald Trump took office as US president in 2017. Yet the German push to revitalise the talks is likely to fail, with even business representatives being sceptical about the success chances… This view was echoed by the European Commission, saying that negotiations for a new, TTIP-style trade agreement were ‘not on the agenda’.”
Axios wrote on November 21:
“The 2022 World Cup has been marred by controversy from the very start, and the stench of FIFA’s corruption and Qatar’s human rights abuses still lingers as the event gets underway.
“100 years ago, Qatar was a sparsely populated British protectorate. Then, after discovering oil (1939) and one of Earth’s largest natural gas reserves (1960), it transformed into an incredibly wealthy nation. By the turn of the century, Qatar was a major player in global politics. But a desire for more prestige and clout led the country, much like its Gulf neighbors, to a potent source: soccer.
“Qataris acquired French club Paris Saint-Germain and launched beIN Sports, big moves that shook up Europe. But the crown jewel was the World Cup. Qatar was named host in 2010, a stunning development that triggered bribery accusations [There is little doubt that bribery took place, and even famous soccer stars like Franz Beckenbauer were allegedly involved.] 18 members of FIFA’s 24-person executive committee have since been implicated in or investigated for illicit activity, and the global governing body’s reputation has been irrevocably damaged…
“85% of Qatar’s population of 3 million are foreign workers, and rights groups have been documenting abusers and harsh conditions. Last year, The Guardian revealed that about 6,500 workers from South Asia had died since Qatar was awarded the World Cup.
“There are concerns about LGBTQ fans descending on Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal… Other controversies include beer bans on stadiums [and] press freedom… Seven European teams announced this morning that their captains will no longer wear rainbow OneLove armbands after FIFA said players would be sanctioned… [FIFA also prohibited displaying the word “love” on players’ shirts.] 54% of Americans say that FIFA shouldn’t have awarded the World Cup to Qatar…”
Sadly, the world’s most popular sport—soccer—has become a political arena run by corrupt FIFA officials and their supporters. Such as politics in general.
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.
Amazingly, there are those who consider themselves to be “Christians” who do not believe that the Old Testament is a necessary part of their belief system.
Just to give some brief examples to show that such attitudes exist, let us take note of the following:
“In the USA, North Point Community Church (of Alpharetta, Georgia, USA), Senior Pastor Andy Stanley has stated that Christians need to ‘unhitch’ the Old Testament from their faith. In the final part of a recent sermon series, Stanley explained that while he believes that the Old Testament is ‘divinely inspired,’ it should not be ‘the go-to source regarding any behavior in the church.’ To justify this, Stanley preached last month about Acts 15, which described how the early church decided that Gentile converts did not need to strictly observe Jewish law to become Christians” (christianpost.com).
The above Pastor also said that “(First Century) Church leaders unhitched the church from the worldview, value system, and regulations of the Jewish scriptures (the Old Testament). Peter, James, Paul elected to unhitch the Christian faith from their Jewish scriptures, and my friends, we must as well.”
Of course, we know that that was not the outcome of the Acts 15 conference, and in our Q&A we say: “For instance, we read in Acts 15:5, ‘But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them [Gentiles who became Christians], and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” The context of the discussion shows us that they were not arguing about the Ten Commandments — including the Sabbath — but whether circumcision and other rituals contained in the Law of Moses were mandatory for Gentile Christians.”
One lady wrote of her experience: “Just the other day I was straightening up the Bible section when I overheard a customer tell one of my coworkers that reading the Old Testament was like moving backward in faith. He said that since we have the New Testament and Jesus, there is no need to bother reading the Old Testament.”
For some, there is an antipathy towards the Old Testament. Ted Grimsrud stated the following in a paper “Old Testament Bases for Christian Peace Theology”:
“Christian peace theology tends to be New Testament centered, especially drawing on the gospels. Most Christians would seem to assume that the Old Testament has little to offer for the work of overcoming war and violence. The comment of a friend of mine many years ago may be representative. We were in a Bible study group together and when someone suggested we study something from the Old Testament, my friend snorted and stated flatly, ‘I don’t want anything to do with that ……. book!’ And many Christians who have wanted something to do with the Old Testament, going back to Augustine, have mainly used it as a justification for the acceptability of warfare.”
We have covered the matter of war in our 78-page free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?”
Anyone can buy a copy of just the New Testament but why would anyone want to do that – getting only a part of the story of God and His creation and plan for mankind?
In our booklet, “The Authority of the Bible,” we ask the question on page 4:
“Dismissing the Old Testament?
“Aside from those who flatly reject the Bible as myth, many people claiming to practice Christianity dismiss the Old Testament (as well as some books of the New Testament, such as the Book of Revelation)—all of which are part of the enduring Word of God (compare Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35; Psalm 119:89). In fact, many who embrace Jesus as their Savior have never even read the prophetic Scriptures about His first appearance, and they are, likewise, unaware of the dramatic prophecies concerning His return that are recorded throughout the Bible.”
We want to expand on the fact that anyone dismissing the Old Testament will be in serious spiritual trouble as they will only have part of the story and will not be able to understand the plan of God that is revealed in the Old Testament.
Ignoring the Old Testament is like seeing a film half way through and not really understanding fully what is going on.
It does seem that the absence of not having and using the Old Testament is dwarfed by those who see the clear need to have the full story. However, the downside is that mainstream Christianity, while using all of the Scriptures, often come to erroneous conclusions as will be seen by their theology and practice. Please see our Statement of Beliefs.
Let us review 7 reasons (and there are many more) why we should use, and take the Old Testament seriously. There will inevitably be some overlapping under the different points below but will give conclusive evidence of the need for the use of the whole Bible.
Where else would you find the ultimate knowledge about creation? Interestingly, there are three verses in the New Testament that are instructive: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:1-3).
However, we have to revert back to the book of Genesis for much more information. We find written in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” and the first 3 chapters of Genesis give a resume of the beginning of the 6,000-year-reign of man, information not given in the New Testament.
First, we learn something about “God”—that God consists of more than one Personages. We read in Genesis 1:26 that God said: “Let US make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness.” From John 1:1-3, we know that there are two Personages—God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ, the Word.
We also learned that God—the God Family—created the heavens and the earth. It’s simple and straightforward unlike the disunity of proponents of the false religion named “evolution” who propose, argue and debate the theory of the beginning of creation through the concept of the “big bang” theory or some “primeval soup”. In our free booklet “The Theory of Evolution – A Fairy Tale for Adults?,” we conclude on page 34 with the following comments:
“If we want to follow God, we must believe what God says, as we pointed out at the beginning of this booklet. And God tells us very clearly in His inspired Word, the Bible, that He created the heavens and the earth, as well as man. We did not evolve from animals, but man was created directly by God.
“How accurately the Apostle Paul described the wise and learned of his day who believed the concept of evolution, as we pointed out at the beginning of this booklet! He stated in Romans 1:20-23, ‘For since the creation of the world His [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse… Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four footed animals and creeping things.’
“God is saying the same to all of us today. We also are without excuse if we replace the truth of God and His creation with the ungodly idea of evolution, essentially degrading man as descending from a mollusk. What an insult to mankind, and what blasphemy toward man’s Creator!”
Then in Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:21-23 is the creation of man, both male and female. This was not some evolutionary process where man evolved over billions of years down to our present time and is Old Testament information.
(To be continued)
Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)
compiled by Dave Harris
“Why Mass Murder in Colorado’s Gay Nightclub?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
Another terrible mass murder has been committed in Colorado Springs when a 22-year-old man went into a gay nightclub with a long gun and killed five people. How could this happen? What could have been done to prevent this heinous crime? How can we make sure those mass murders won’t happen again? What do we know about the childhood of the murderer? And could our society’s approach towards violence have any role to play in this? What does GOD tell us what the only true solution is?
“Gottes Gnade—Verpflichtung zum Gehorsam,” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by Daniel Blasinger. Title in English: “God’s Grace—Commitment to Obedience.”
“Quiet Quitting Christianity,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:
Quiet Quitting is a relatively new term in the marketplace that describes individuals who do just enough to get by. As Christians, do we fall into this category? If we do, how do we reverse and do better?
“Thoughtful Action,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:
How do we react when we are in a situation where we would feel offended by what the other person may do or say? Do others feel offended by things that we may do or say, even if the things that we are doing are right in God’s eyes? What did Jesus Christ do when He was on this earth and faced with these same kinds of situations? Was He being offensive in any way and how did He take offense?
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, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson
Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank
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The Ron Paul Institute wrote on November 11:
“… very little will change in Washington after this election… After all, so much of federal policy is now determined by the executive branch that moderate changes in party leadership in Congress will do very little to change the course of the nation’s administrative agencies such as the EPA, the IRS, and the FBI. These agencies have immense power over the daily lives of countless Americans, yet even sizable majorities of so-called conservatives have shown little stomach to rein in this power. Certainly, the small GOP majority now headed for the House will do little.
“...we can expect to keep hearing plenty about the evil of fossil fuels. The administration will continue to press for less drilling for oil and gas, and the war on coal will continue. The administration will continue to issue new edicts for ‘fighting global warming.’ This, of course, will continue to drive up the cost of living.
“On foreign policy, it was clear nothing much would change short of an overwhelming victory by ‘America First’ types in Congress. That hasn’t happened, so we can expect more of the same foreign interventionism we’re seeing now. The US regime will add to the $65 billion it has already sent to Ukraine and will continually ratchet up its involvement in the region as it recently did with a deployment of US troops near the Ukraine border. Even worse, the US will likely continue to flirt with nuclear war, as the regime’s new National Defense Strategy document has given the Pentagon more leeway in using nuclear arms. The US will not any time soon remove the approximately nine hundred American troops that are currently conducting a regional occupation in Syria.
“Naturally, as far as social spending goes, we can expect zero change. Under Donald Trump, Republicans signed off on massive new spending increases and were headed toward approving trillion-dollar deficits even before 2020. With covid, of course, spending exploded even more, and only a small handful of Republicans expressed doubts… The only disagreements we’ll see in Washington in the next two years will be over how exactly to run up the next massive annual deficit…
“While Washington will keep up with the same disastrous policies, the real change we’ll see will be at the state level… What all this likely means is a continued divergence between places like Washington State, New York State, and California, on the one hand, and Florida, Texas, and Ohio, on the other. On matters like abortion, schools, immigration, guns, and energy policy, the differences between the two blocs will only continue to grow…
“Over time, this will continue to build a real cultural divide that will inevitably lead to de facto political division between these blocs of states… ‘National divorce’ will increasingly be evident on the horizon.”
And so, the division in the USA will continue while Washington—regardless as to who is in power— will prove as being totally incompetent and irrelevant. Out of Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, the Republicans needed at least two wins to gain the majority in the Senate.
Breitbart reported on November 11 that “the Arizona Senate race has been called for Democrat Mark Kelly, who beat his Republican challenger Blake Masters.”
NBC News reported on November 12: “The picture in the Senate became clear late Saturday after Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada narrowly defeated Republican Adam Laxalt to win re-election, putting her party over the threshold… Masto’s victory means Democrats will hold the Senate regardless of the outcome of Georgia’s Dec. 6 runoff election when Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker will face each other again after neither cleared the 50% threshold required under state law.
“A Walker win would keep the Senate 50-50, where Vice President Kamala Harris casts the tie-breaking vote for Democrats. A Warnock victory would make it 51-49, giving Democrats one extra vote…”
This would enable the Democrats to pass a few bills which require a simple majority. Most bills need 60 votes. A Democratic majority in the Senate also means that Biden can nominate federal judges and appointees to the Supreme Court, should vacancies occur.
Most news articles project or have already announced a slight win of the Republicans taking back the House. The votes of several races are still being counted.
The Associated Press reported on November 17:
“More than a week after Election Day, Republicans secured the 218th seat needed to flip the House from Democratic control. The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted. But they are on track to cobble together what could be the party’s narrowest majority of the 21st century, rivaling 2001, when Republicans had just a nine-seat majority, 221-212 with two independents.”
The New York Post added on November 17:
“The narrow majority calls into question the future of promised wide-ranging, GOP-led House committee investigations into the Biden administration on topics including the botched US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the ongoing migration crisis at the US-Mexico border — and first son Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings…”
One could add to this list promised investigations into the origin of the coronavirus and Fauci’s role in the matter.
Many blame Trump for these developments. The New York Post reported on November 11:
“President Donald Trump [made] a racially insensitive attack against Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (“his name sounds Chinese”)… [It was also reported:] ‘He was really upset about Dr. [Mehmet] Oz [losing his Senate race in Pennsylvania]. It really set him off… [It was even reported that he blamed his wife Melania for convincing him to endorse Dr. Oz.] He’s grumpy and unhappy that Ron DeSantis did so well…’ Trump went on a social media tirade against the Florida governor Thursday, saying that DeSantis should not run in 2024 and deriding him as an ‘average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations…’”
Deutsche Welle wrote on November 11:
“A divided government has implications for US global leadership… The midterm shift, which will not take effect until the new year, looks to be small, but potentially decisive…
“Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank, told DW: … ‘It is a good time for Europe to think about how self-sufficient it is and wants to be when it comes to its defense… I don’t know how many more warning signs from the United States are necessary to convey this message.’”
Finally, Europe, which has been called the “sleeping giant” in the past, will wake up.
National Post wrote on November 10:
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is likely to draw some encouragement from Tuesday’s U.S. midterms. Despite running an unpopular government, and a weak economy, President Joe Biden’s party, which shares many views with Canada’s Liberals, out-performed all expectations and has kept the Republican ‘red tide’ at bay, at least for now.
“The message to Biden, and indirectly to Trudeau, who is similarly unpopular and also governs a country that the overwhelming majority thinks is headed in the wrong direction, that there is no need to change direction. They can both continue extreme policies on climate, control of media and protest…
“The current course both the U.S. and Canada are taking seems destined to create a recession… if attempts to control social media and political speech did not hurt Biden with voters, the even more draconian approach being proposed by Trudeau to regulate the internet may not cause him long term damage… the Democrats’ performance suggests that, as in Canada, our increasingly multi-racial societies will continue to be pummeled by claims of ‘systemic racism’ and demand for racial quotas and favouritism… The road to political perdition and disunion seems a bit better paved today in both countries.”
Manasseh and Ephraim’s prophesied downfall is coming.
The New York Post wrote on November 15:
“Former President Donald Trump ended months of speculation and launched his bid to retake the White House in 2024 Tuesday, an early attempt to clear the GOP primary field… Trump brushed off the unexpectedly poor showing by Republicans in last week’s midterm elections.
“… if Trump wins the White House again in 2024, he will have pulled off one of the biggest political comebacks in US history after leaving office with the riot overshadowing his domestic and foreign policy accomplishments… Trump would be the second president elected to non-consecutive terms, after Democrat Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892. [A victory would make Trump the 45th and the 47th president, according to Fox News.]
“He would have to leave office in January 2029 because the Constitution doesn’t allow a president to be elected to three terms.”
The accuracy of the last sentence is debatable, with some legal scholars contending that the Constitution only prohibits more than two consecutive terms.
We are publishing the following article—not because we necessarily agree with its sentiments, but because we want to show how the overwhelming majority of Germans feel about Trump, as captured very well by the most-read mass tabloid’s article, quoted below.
On November 11, Bild Online published the following Editorial:
“Unfortunately, it is not over after the midterm elections… he’s a narcissist. He loves himself more than America. He’s only fascinated with himself. Psychiatrists speak of personality damage in narcissism.
“According to the Roman poet Ovid, Narcis was a beautiful young man who had many admirers. But they didn’t interest him. When he saw himself reflected in a water, in a brook, he was so consumed with himself that he threw himself in the water with desire and drowned.
“Trump is such an amorous narcissist…The narcissist does not tolerate insults. He hits back with brutality. His language is like Trump’s language. Chaos, end of the world, electoral fraud… My prayer is: Lord, deliver us from Donald Trump.”
Our prayers should be: God, deliver us from all our politicians running our countries, and send back Jesus Christ to make an end to man’s mad misrule. In other words: Your Kingdom Come!
JTA wrote on November 14:
“In his first public appearance after midterm elections in which his Republican Party failed to take control of the U.S. Senate, former president Donald Trump headed to a friendly audience. The Zionist Organization of America was awarding Trump a rare honor, the Theodor Herzl Medal, for his contributions on behalf of Israel… the gala landed at a precarious moment for the former president, as allies throughout the Republican Party have signaled or even said forthrightly in the last several days that they believe he should not run…
“Trump received standing ovations just about every time his name was mentioned, as multiple presenters recited the litany of achievements that they said had made him the best U.S. president ever for Israel. They include moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, brokering the Abraham Accords between Israel and Arab countries, pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal and more… The group’s president, Mort Klein — in a fiery speech… made clear that his confidence in Trump was unwavering…”
Newsmax added on November 14:
“Former President Donald Trump received the Zionist Organization of America’s greatest honor for ‘being the best friend Israel ever had in the White House.’ The organization’s Theodor Herzl Medallion, awarded rarely, previously was presented to people including former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, former President Harry Truman, and former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir… [Klein said:] ‘President Trump is, in fact, so popular in Israel that, were he eligible to run, he would likely be elected prime minister. Indeed, Israel named a new town after the 45th president, ‘Trump Heights.’”
“Other Theodor Herzl Medallion winners included Lord Balfour, David Ben Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Sheldon G. Adelson.”
JNS added on November 14:
“Klein added that the Biden administration was acting hypocritically by implicitly condemning the ‘extremism’ of Religious Zionism leaders Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, yet failing to denounce Abbas’s promotion of terrorism against Israelis.”
But as the articles also point out, many Jews in America do not support Trump, and, according to Trump, they do not even support the state of Israel.
Israel Today wrote on November 10:
“US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides warned that Washington would oppose any Israeli steps to annex Judea and Samaria…
“The comments were the first by American officials on specific issues related to Israeli-Palestinian peace process. One of the Religious Zionism party’s demands for joining Netanyahu’s coalition is for Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria to be governed by Israeli government ministries…”
America will NOT be a reliable partner and ally for Israel—and especially NOT under the Biden Administration.
Daily Mail wrote on November 14:
“Afghanistan’s supreme leader has ordered judges to fully enforce aspects of Islamic law that include public executions, stonings and floggings, and the amputation of limbs for thieves… Akhundzada, who has not been filmed or photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power in August last year, rules by decree from Kandahar, the movement’s birthplace and spiritual heartland.
“’Carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers and seditionists,’… Akhundzada [was quoted] as saying. ‘Those files in which all the sharia (Islamic law) conditions of hudud and qisas have been fulfilled, you are obliged to implement. This is the ruling of sharia, and my command, which is obligatory.’
“… Hudud refers to offences which, under Islamic law, certain types of punishment are mandated, while qisas translates as ‘retaliation in kind’ – effectively an eye for an eye. Hudud crimes include adultery – and falsely accusing someone of it – drinking alcohol, theft, kidnapping and highway robbery, apostasy and rebellion. Qisas covers murder and deliberate injury, among other things, but also allows for the families of victims to accept compensation in lieu of punishment…
“Women in particular have seen hard-won rights evaporate in the past 15 months, and they are increasingly being squeezed out of public life. Most female government workers have lost their jobs – or are being paid a pittance to stay at home – while women are also barred from travelling without a male relative and must cover up with a burqa or hijab when outside. In the past week, the Taliban also banned women from entering parks, funfairs, gyms and public baths.”
All of this was so predictable. The incompetence, indifference and naivety of the Biden Administration when leaving Afghanistan are next to unparalleled in recent American history.
Fox News reported on November 16:
“Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday that there is an ‘indication’ the missile that landed in Polish territory and killed two was an ‘air defense missile.’ ‘There is no indication that this was an intentional attack on Poland,’ he said… The missile came down Tuesday on the Polish-Ukrainian border and landed in the village of Przewodów around 3:40 p.m.
“Three anonymous U.S. officials told the Associated Press that preliminary assessments suggested the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian one… NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also confirmed Wednesday that the missile that hit Poland was likely a Ukrainian air defense missile…”
Daily Mail added on November 16:
“Hours after the incident, Volodymyr Zelensky had blamed it on ‘Russian missile terror’, and Kyiv is yet to concede its own missile was involved…
“The news came after a nervous night in which it looked like NATO and Russia could be heading for a direct confrontation that would have risked triggering World War Three, and it underlines the risk that a single mistake or miscalculation in Ukraine could yet spark such a conflict.”
The Ron Paul Institute wrote a castigating report on November 16. As it is true for all articles which we republish, we do not take sides on this issue, nor do we confirm the accuracy of what is stated, but we are just presenting it for the information of our readers:
“NATO and Russia briefly stood on the brink of World War III Tuesday evening after Ukraine accidentally bombed Poland. The incident happened as its forces were trying to intercept incoming Russian missiles during what’s been described as Moscow’s fiercest attack… thus far… Instead of shooting down the Russian missile, Kiev’s S-300 malfunctioned and ended up dropping into Poland, where it killed two people.
“The Ukrainian leadership was well aware of what happened but decided to propagate the most dangerous conspiracy theory in history in an attempt to literally spark World War III. Zelensky lied to the world by describing his forces’ accidental bombing of Poland as ‘a Russian missile strike on collective security’ and telling NATO that ‘We need to act.’ His Foreign Minister [claimed] that all allegations that his side was responsible for this incident are nothing but ‘Russian propaganda’.
“To his credit, Biden told the press in response to a question about whether Russia was responsible that ‘There is preliminary information that contests that. It is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see.’… There’s no reason to doubt Biden’s assessment nor that of those three unnamed US officials… Quite clearly, just like with the Nord Stream terrorist attack that was in all likelihood carried out by the Anglo-American Axis… NATO doesn’t truly hold Moscow responsible…”
The article also questions the popular narrative that Ukraine is winning the war.
The Associated Press wrote on November 15:
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday it supports proposed federal legislation to safeguard same-sex marriages… The 17-million member, Utah-based faith said in a statement that church doctrine would continue to consider same-sex relationships against God’s commandments, yet would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose…
“The faith opposes same-sex marriage and sexual intimacy, but it has taken a more welcoming stance to LGBTQ people in recent years. In 2016, it declared that same-sex attraction is not a sin, while maintaining that acting on it was.”
Breitbart wrote on November 16:
“Twelve Senate Republicans voted with Democrats on Wednesday for the far-left ‘Respect for Marriage Act,’ which is reportedly designed to provide federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages… the bill will go back to the House before going to President Joe Biden. The White House has expressed support for the measure.
“RFMA… would require the federal government to recognize any marriage that was ‘valid in the place where entered into.’ The bill would also require every state to recognize every same-sex marriage that ‘is valid in the State where the marriage was entered into.’… So the RFMA does not force Texas to issue a marriage certificate to a same-sex couple. But it does force Texas to recognize a marriage certificate issued to a same-sex couple by New Mexico….
“… religious liberty proponents say the amendment does nothing to shield Americans who have a traditional view of marriage from being targeted under the law… RFMA is yet another instance of Senate Republicans providing the votes needed to pass overreaching Democrat legislation…”
The New York Post wrote on November 11:
“A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine purports to show that mask policies in schools work to contain COVID. But that’s not all: The authors conclude, ‘We believe that universal masking may be especially useful for mitigating effects of structural racism in schools, including potential deepening of educational inequities.’… And the next study will show masking fights climate change.
“No, what this study shows is that much of the medical establishment continues to be intensely woke — and deeply dishonest because of it. Just as the ‘experts’ told us gathering in crowds wasn’t OK in spring of 2020, but just weeks later protesting for Black Lives Matter somehow was. This dishonesty is going to hurt us all for a long time.
“As for this study specifically: It does not prove what the authors intended to. It’s just the latest in a push by agenda-driven scientists, and the media who love them, to get people back in masks… COVID rates in all the schools were higher before anyone took off their mask — but that uncomfortable fact goes unmentioned in the write-up… Which didn’t stop The New York Times’ Roni Caryn Rabin from promoting the new study as ‘a so-called natural experiment’ and breathlessly concluding, ‘The bottom line: Masking mandates were linked with significantly reduced numbers of Covid cases in schools.’
“This is full-on nonsense. The mask mandates did no such thing… It’s pathetic that in November 2022, we have to keep pointing out the obvious — and that garbage science like this destroys everyone’s confidence in the medical field…
“Not until April 25, 2021, did Dr. Anthony Fauci say, ‘It’s common sense to know that the risk when you are outdoors, which we have been saying all along, is extremely low, and if you are vaccinated it’s even lower.’ He had not, actually, been saying that all along — and those of us who had that ‘common sense’ got targeted and ridiculed for being ‘anti-science.’
“… the problem isn’t just with masking. It’s that the medical establishment has gone fully woke. Wokeness goes hand-in-hand with forced conformity. No one is allowed to step out of the woke lines — though those lines are free to shift at any time. It’s very Soviet. Under those rules, you can’t be critical of even this cockamamie study… Inside the woke echo chamber, you even have to embrace insane ideas like ‘masking fights racism.’
“No one at the Times could write an article about how a study like this is gibberish. Medical professionals and journalists who point out the obvious, that the study makes no sense, will be quickly excommunicated.
“It’s sick, and it has to stop. This isn’t science, it’s politics — and this woke cancer has to be fought until it’s defeated.”
Wow! And how true this is! Forget having trust in the medical establishment and their propaganda of falsely-called “science.” That “trust” and confidence in the “expertise” and “competence” of the likes as Fauci (or Lauterbach in Germany) has long gone.
Wochenblatt wrote on November 12:
“The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended the ban on entry for [unvaccinated] non-US citizens and non-immigrants until at least January 8, 2023. The justification contradicts not only the medical facts, but also what is valid within the USA. There, people who have been [vaccinated] and those who are not vaccinated are treated equally. The reasoning of the TSA could not be more absurd: [Unvaccinated] people could bring the virus to the United States and spread it there. Even the director of the powerful US health authority CDC, Rochelle Walensky, admitted that [vaccinated] people are infectious and she is herself an example of this: vaccinated twice and boosted, she tested recently positive for corona.
“The USA is thus in the illustrious circle of countries such as Yemen, Liberia, North Korea, China and Libya. In any case, the regulation on the entry ban for non-vaccinated persons would have expired on November 8th. By order of the Biden regime, the TSA extended it with ridiculous justifications…
“… it is clear that the vaccination does not prevent either infection or transmission of the virus, according to the Biden decree, since last June people who have been vaccinated have no longer had to submit a negative PCR test. So these passengers are free to travel into the country with the virus and spread it there if they have received a Covid-19 genetic vaccination…
“Corona is no longer about health and medical facts, but only about political tactics… One also has to ask oneself why non-Americans are not a ‘danger’ for Australia or Canada – the two extremely brutal vaccination dictatorships have already opened their borders for non-vaccinated people… With the absurd Corona foreign policy of the colorful Biden troop in the White House, they perhaps wanted to let the aged super-adviser Anthony Fauci save face. If he had his way, the unvaccinated would still be in permanent quarantine. He announced his departure at the end of the year, but is likely to remain the gray eminence of the pandemic as long as Biden is in office. It will be interesting to see whether the USA will continue to insist on entry vaccination after January 8, 2023. Maybe something will happen in the House of Representatives, where the legislature sits and which may soon be dominated by Republicans. As is well known, they think little of Biden’s corona harassment.”
Hopefully, this ridiculous and absurd ban WILL finally cease to exist and vanish in January. “Let Freedom Ring!”
AFP wrote on November 15:
“The deputy health minister in Italy’s new far-right government sparked controversy Tuesday after stating there was no proof that vaccines against Covid-19 actually worked… ‘But I’m not falling into the trap of taking sides for or against vaccines,’ the undersecretary told state broadcaster Rai, while denouncing the ‘ideological’ approach of the previous government of Mario Draghi towards the Covid crisis.
“As a deputy from the Brothers of Italy, the right-wing party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the pharmacist by profession opposed Italy’s so-called coronavirus Green pass, a proof of vaccination required to access most public spaces…
“Gemmato’s comments provoked calls for him to step down, including from the head of the centre-left Democratic Party, Enrico Letta. ‘A health undersecretary who doesn’t take his distance from no-vaxxers is certainly in the wrong job’ wrote the leader of the centrist party Action, Carlo Calenda, on Twitter…”
Of course, to state what the deputy health minister of Italy uttered is deeply unpopular in the so-called “scientific” establishment. And he did not even take a side on the issue, but even that is already too much for the propaganda driven by the big and rich Pharma industry and its supporters.
Israel 365 News reported on November 13:
“In a controversial move, Canada is expanding its government-funded euthanasia program to include the mentally ill. At the same time, parliamentarians in Scotland are being petitioned to incorporate a ‘suicide pod’ that would allow people to autonomously end their lives…
“Canada’s voluntary euthanasia program called Medical Assistance in Dying… became legal in 2016. The program is part of Canada’s healthcare system. To receive euthanasia, patients experiencing intolerable suffering must sign a written request expressing their wish to end their life. In 2021, more than 10,000 people chose euthanasia, an increase of over 32% from the previous year, accounting for 3.3% of all deaths in Canada…
“The law has been amended to make the program available to people whose death is not medically foreseeable. It was also amended to include those with dementia who may not be able to understand the implications of their decision. The decision to access medically assisted suicide will also be for people whose only medical ailment is a mental issue. This amendment will go into effect next year.
“In the Netherlands, where a quarter of all deaths are now carried out by assisted suicide, euthanasia is utilized for babies under one year of age with ‘severe deformations’ and ‘very grave… medical syndromes’...
“Euthanasia, where doctors use drugs to kill patients, is legal in seven countries — Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain — plus several states in Australia. Other nations, including several U.S. states, permit assisted suicide — in which patients take the lethal drug themselves, typically in a drink prescribed by a doctor…”
For more information on this issue, please read our Q&A ,‘Should true Christians engage in mercy killing or euthanasia?”
Life Site News wrote on November 14:
“For years, the promoters of the spurious ‘settled science’ narrative have claimed that there is a 97-99% consensus among scientists about humans causing climate change… A recently published survey of top-level climate scientists found that just over five in 10 attributed the human contribution to recent climate change to be 75% or above. Only around four in 10 scientists believed that the frequency and severity of extreme weather events had increased significantly in recent years…
“Emeritus Professor Richard Lindzen recently called the current climate narrative ‘absurd.’ Perhaps, he added, it was the trillions of dollars diverted to green projects and the relentless propaganda from grant-dependent academics and agenda-driven journalists that had persuaded people it is not absurd…
“But the new poll shows that even after 25 years of relentless propaganda, there is considerable debate over the subject in scientific circles.
“… U.S. meteorologist Anthony Watts said the poll illustrates that there is less consensus on climate change and a broader scope of differing opinions that we are led to believe…’
“H. Sterling Burnett from Heartland was intrigued that the poll showed older, more experienced scientists were more sceptical of climate disaster claims. ‘It seems, years of indoctrination have succeeded in brainwashing younger, less experienced climate scientists into believing, data to the contrary, that humans are causing a climate catastrophe,’ he concluded.”
No doubt, much political propaganda and the desire for money are involved with the common narrative of man-made climate change.
The New York Post wrote on November 12:
“Camilla Parker Bowles was, for a time, the most hated woman in Britain, only leaving her home under the cover of darkness. Yet in early May of next year, she will be crowned England’s next queen [technically: queen consort, see comments below] in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey officiated over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the highest ranking cleric in the land.
“… Queen Elizabeth II… gave Camilla the final stamp of approval in February, when she expressed her ‘sincere wish’ that Camilla would be crowned queen [queen consort] ‘when the day comes.’…
“In the early days, the queen was on friendly terms with Camilla and her then-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles… All that changed when Camilla was revealed as the other woman in the stormy marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Camilla became persona non grata in the mid-90s, shunned from formal royal parties and other functions…
“Things were moving along at a quicker pace, thanks to a decision by the Church of England to take a more relaxed view of divorced couples marrying in church. For years, the queen had been balancing her son’s future happiness with her role as monarch and head of the Church of England. Now she could act to end Camilla’s long wait. During an audience with Charles at Sandringham on Christmas 2004, the queen gave permission for them to marry. They married in a civil ceremony at the Guildhall in Windsor in April 2005. Camilla, who had become accustomed to being the butt of criticism, was delighted at the warmth of her reception by the waiting crowds.
“The queen was also relieved, as any negative publicity would have had a direct impact on the monarchy. Still, she was aware that the Camilla issue remained a touchy subject with many of her subjects. The official word from the palace was that there were no plans to make Camilla queen…
“In their different ways, both the queen and Camilla — who was conferred with the title Duchess of Cornwall after the marriage — were in it for the long game, a strategy which matched their conservative, rather cautious personalities… this past February, the queen announced that she wished Camilla to take on the styling of queen consort when Charles ascended the throne…
“In her quiet, subtle way she tested both her son and his paramour before allowing Camilla into the royal fold. That she has been largely accepted as queen is testimony to the good sense and judgement of Elizabeth II. When Camilla walks down the aisle at Westminster Abbey in six months, husband King Charles III by her side, she will know that she has much to thank her mother-in-law for.”
Many try to emphasize that Camilla is expected to be crowned as “queen consort,” rather than as queen. But as the article implies, this distinction is rather academic in practical terms, as long as Charles III is King. While a queen consort is not the head of the British monarchy nor does she enjoy political or military powers, she will be crowned with the King in a similar but simpler ceremony, and her role involves offering her husband support and accompanying him to official engagements, at which she is addressed as “Her Royal Highness.” Everyone in the royal family is expected to bow to Camilla, including Prince William. Camilla’s title of Queen Consort will be similar to that of Queen Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Consort, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
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.
