On October 16, 2021, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy, October 16,” and the sermon, titled, “Being Made Perfect Through Sufferings.”

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.

For any instrument to be played, it has to be tuned correctly. When a musical instrument is tuned, it can be played and provides beautiful music. But when it is not tuned correctly, the sounds can be awful and disharmonious. When this happens, it is very hard to listen to music and enjoy it.

Ephesians 2:2 holds a mighty truth for us: “…in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…”  Just like an instrument that is tuned in the right way, so this world is tuned to Satan in the wrong way. It is tuned to his influence, his deceptions, his moods and destructive habits and creations! Notice that it says that we all once walked according to the paths of this world. We all have receptors that are still there; they still are tuned to the god of this world.

In Romans 6:6-23, we should note that the “old person” should be buried in that watery grave that was our baptism—in essence, washing away the old person tuned to Satan and his ways which lead to death, and instead being tuned to Christ, the Son of God, and God the Father. This though is not just a one-time event.

Our task is to continually tune ourselves to God so that we are in alignment with what is good and proper. This is a constant requirement, and there are so MANY things to distract us, to make us slip off the path and lose our way. And that changes from person to person. Those qualities that make us up individually are what makes us unique and special in God’s eyes. But it can also be the character traits that Satan uses to trip us up and cause us to retune to his ways.

So how do we make progress in this regard? How do we make not just slight progress but rather great progress?

Romans 12:2 tells us: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The mind defines and manifests who we really are. Our behavior will follow what we think, what we allow to sit and fester! If we are constantly renewing our mind in Christ, we will indeed start to change. 2 Corinthians 10:5 states that we must be “.. bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” We are ALL guilty of not doing this at times. But imagine if we were able to do this with more and more strength and accuracy.

We all have so many thoughts throughout the day. What if instead of harboring self-deprecating thoughts or thoughts of anger, we took those moments and transferred them to God instead and asked Him to help us to think, react or feel differently? When we experience difficult challenges, we can react to them and think ourselves into despair every time. Or we can look forward to the next opportunity and ask what have we learned from this failure. Is our first thought, I’ll never do anything right? We don’t have to get trapped by these types of disabling thoughts. We are capable of getting out of our shame, despair, hopelessness, and anger—by taking control of our thoughts and by re-tuning ourselves back to God.

This means, choosing to focus our thoughts on the right things. We are to think about those things that are true, noble, right, just, pure, lovely, admirable or of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy (compare Philippians 4:8). When we think in this way, God promises to give us His pease. What a contrast that is to the thought pattern of millions of people today who are all tuned to Satan’s ways. It takes personal discipline and commitment to be different.

While it is possible, it is not easy to retrain our thoughts or to respond in new Christ-like ways. But when we realize and embrace the fact that God empowers us to focus our mind on the right things, it will become easier. As we continue to develop new frames of reference, based on what is true, noble, right, just, pure, lovely, admirable or of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy, we will keep ourselves in tune with God, and we will be able to overcome anything that is standing in our way!

by Norbert Link

We begin with the resignation of Sebastian Kurz as Austria’s chancellor; speak on the undeniable comeback of Donald Trump; the constant and ongoing attacks on the US Constitution by the Biden Administration; and discuss the hypocrisy of the Pope and Nancy Pelosi, as well as the abominable sexual abuse scandal within that church.  

We speak on the tough times for Brits and Americans; Turkey’s declining relationship with Washington; and new deepening tensions between the USA and the EU. We also address Russia’s blackmail possibilities, as they pertain to Europe, due to the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline.

We address interesting developments regarding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the al Aqsa mosque; and the divisions within the EU, especially in regard to Poland and Hungary, as well as many Nordic nations.

We speak on the health-related dictatorship within the USA, being advocated or imposed  by health officials and politicians; the debate (or the lack thereof) regarding natural immunity; and the ongoing and very effective resistance against vaccine mandates. 

In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Is Civil War Coming?” 

We conclude with another nonsensical law enacted in California (where else?).

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

Turmoil in Austria: Kurz Resigns

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 10:

“Kurz’s decision to quit amid the graft allegations means that the governing coalition between his conservative Austrian People’s Party (OeVP) and the leftist Greens will continue. Green parliamentary group leader Sigrid Maurer said [successor] Schallenberg was not implicated in the corruption scandal. Pressure on Kurz to resign, including from the Greens, started after prosecutors on Wednesday raided several locations linked to the OeVP. They announced that Kurz and nine other people were under investigation over claims that government money was used between 2016 and 2018 in a corrupt deal to ensure positive media coverage.

“Greens had signaled that they would topple Kurz in a vote of no confidence on Tuesday in parliament if he did not stand down. The OeVP-Greens coalition entered office in January 2020 and has already been strained several times by the fallout from other corruption scandals and differences over questions such as refugee policy.”

The Guardian wrote on October 10:

“The fall from grace of the 35-year-old leader of the Austrian People’s party (ÖVP) comes just weeks after its German sister party failed to fill the space left by the outgoing chancellor, Angela Merkel, and crashed to the worst result in history at federal elections.

“Supporters of the Austrian leader… hope he will continue to pull strings in his role as ÖVP president and leader of its parliamentary group…

“By immediately switching to the backbenches, Kurz would also gain parliamentary immunity – although the Austrian daily newspaper Der Standard reported on Sunday the outgoing chancellor would personally apply to have the special privilege lifted so he could prove his innocence.

“A swift return to power… seems unlikely, however… The Austrian president, Alexander Van der Bellen, on Friday criticised the ‘tone of disrespect’ shown towards individuals and state institutions. On Saturday, Kurz said the messages were written ‘in the heat of the battle’ and had been taken out of context, saying the accusations against him ‘are false and I will be able to clear this up.’

“The outgoing Austrian chancellor’s fall from grace has been as swift as his rise… As the CDU is licking its wounds in the wake of 26 September’s painful defeat at federal elections, several voices of the German centre-right have pointed to Kurz as a model for renewing the party. ‘We need a German Sebastian Kurz,’ the head of the CDU’s youth movement demanded only at the start of the month. After the events of the last week, such calls are going to be heard more rarely.”

At least for now. Bild Online speculated that Kurz’s “resignation” is only temporary, and that he is already preparing for a comeback. They are referring to the headline in the influential “Kronen-Zeitung”, reading “KURZ MAL WEG” (“Kurz temporarily gone.”). Also note the next article.

Kurz Remains Shadow Chancellor?

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 11:

“Schallenberg was sworn in Monday as the new chancellor of Austria by President Alexander Van der Bellen. A career diplomat who served as foreign minister, Schallenberg is a close allyof… Kurz… Kurz will remain head of his party, a position he has held since 2016, and become its leading member of parliament after exiting the chancellery…

“The opposition believe Schallenberg will continue to do bidding for Kurz, who will remain politically active and who is expected to be somewhat of a ‘shadow chancellor.’ ‘All opposition parties agree there is no change to the Kurz system. He still has all the strings in his hands and designated Chancellor Schallenberg is part of this Kurz system,’ said Kai Jan Krainer of the Social Democrats…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 13:

“Sebastian Kurz has stepped down, but not aside…. Austria is unlikely to change its political course much under its new chancellor. In his first appearance in office, Alexander Schallenberg promised (or, one could say, threatened) to collaborate closely with Sebastian Kurz. The former chancellor will remain the People’s Party leader, as well as the head of the parliamentary faction.

“‘Kurz is pursuing the plan of, figuratively, stepping aside — but then standing side-by-side with the new chancellor, Schallenberg,’ says Petra Stuiber, deputy editor-in-chief of the Austrian newspaper Der Standard. She says Kurz expects to be ‘the one who is continuing to pull the strings in the background.’”

Kurz—Israel’s Friend

JTA wrote on October 10:

“Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who made support for Israel and the fight against antisemitism key policy priorities, has stepped down amid a corruption probe. Kurz’s resignation, which he announced Saturday, means that he shares yet another trait with Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Israeli prime minister he admires: out of office, with a scandal hanging overhead.

“Under Kurz’s leadership, Austria reversed its stance toward Israel, going from very critical to very supportive. This year, its parliament passed a resolution calling the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel a form of antisemitism. Kurz has called Austria’s annexation into Nazi Germany in 1938 something that ‘guides my political work today.’

“He has spoken of Netanyahu as an inspiration, citing Israel’s then-prime minister’s seemingly successful handling of the onset of the coronavirus pandemic as a blueprint for his own.”

Trump’s Rally in Iowa

Politico wrote on October 9:

“The former president went to Iowa on Saturday…  Appearing alongside… was a who’s who of influential Republicans in the Hawkeye state… Trump has held rallies since leaving the White House. But never have elected Republicans of such tenure and stature appeared with him… ‘I’m telling you the single biggest issue, as bad as the border is and it’s horrible, horrible what they’re doing they’re destroying our country, but as bad as that is the single biggest issue the issue that gets the most pull, the most respect, the biggest cheers is talking about the election fraud of the 2020 presidential election,’ Trump said.

“… The former president has been openly discussing the likelihood that he will run for the office again. To be greeted with open arms in the all-important, first-in-the-nation presidential caucus state of Iowa was a flashing neon light signal to voters that this party remains his. And he’s done it all while still launching broadsides against current leadership (he eviscerated Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at various points on Saturday for striking a deal with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling and for not having the ‘courage to challenge the election’)…

“While Trump has not officially announced a run for president, his visit to Iowa is a wink toward a 2024 bid.”

The New York Post wrote on October 10:

“Fifty-three percent of Iowans said they view Trump favorably, compared to his 48 percent rating when he was in the White House… Biden, on the other hand, has a 37 percent favorable rating in the poll and a 61 percent unfavorable rating… Trump also continued to air his complaints about how the 2020 presidential election was rigged and urged Republicans to get the vote out for the 2022 midterms, in which the GOP is expected to win back control of the House and Senate.​”

In fact, Trump spoke about the “rigged” election in 2020 for quite a long time, and returned to the topic throughout his speech. If this is indeed the Number #1 topic which “gets the most pull,” then it is clear that he will keep this topic alive, regardless as to how the left-wing anti-Trump mass media is labeling it. Note the next article.

Newsmax wrote on October 13:

“Trump on Wednesday criticized Republicans in Michigan after his supporters called for an audit of the state’s 2020 presidential election results during a rally in the state capitol on Tuesday… He went on to claim that ‘Detroit, considered for many years to be one of the most corrupt places in the United States for elections (and many other things!), had large-scale irregularities so much so that two officials, at great risk to themselves and their families, refused to certify the results, and were sadly threatened.’

“Trump also claimed that ‘there were far more votes than voters’ and said, ‘Even the RINOs on the Senate Committee found 289,866 absentee ballots that were sent to people who never requested them, “something that would be illegal.”’”

Trump on the Attack (what else is new?)

Newsmax wrote on October 9:

“Trump said the Biden administration’s proposed $10 billion in aid to the Taliban should be only made on the condition it returns all of the military equipment President Joe Biden left in Afghanistan. ‘We want our hostages back, and then we want our equipment back, and then we can start talking about that,’ Trump told his Save America rally… ‘Now the Democrats want $6 billion in new federal funding to teach critical race theory, which I ended in our schools, at the same time that Biden is unleashing the FBI and parents who stand up and object at school board meetings,’ Trump said. ‘The parents are the enemy.’…

“Trump continued his rebuke of the military leaders, including ‘TV generals’ like Gen. Mark Milley, who he said was the one who claimed it was cheaper to leave the [reported] $85 billion worth of the ‘latest and greatest’ weapons and equipment in Afghanistan during Biden’s unconditional withdrawal this August.”

It is indeed true, as we reported last week, that parents are labeled as “domestic terrorists,” who are protesting at school board meetings against CRT. Note the next article.

First Amendment under Attack by Biden Administration

Breitbart wrote on October 10:

“On Sunday, Fox News Channel ‘Life, Liberty & Levin’ host Mark Levin warned that the First Amendment is under attack by Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Biden administration. According to Levin, the Biden administration and the National School Boards Association ‘conspired’ and ‘colluded’ to silence parents who are expressing their First Amendment rights by recently announcing that the Department of Justice would intervene to address perceived threats against educators and school boards.

“‘The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, is under attack by the Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland, and his staff,’ Levin opened his Sunday show. ‘And now we have learned it is also under attack by Joe Biden’s staff, as well as others at the White House in a coordinated attack to try to silence parents and taxpayers, the citizens of this nation who elect their school boards, who send their children into these classrooms. Why? Because they are challenging the poison, the rot, the radical Marxist propaganda that is being taught to your children from kindergarten through 12th grade, and apparently that is too much for them to tolerate.’

“He continued, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is the memo that will go down in history as one of the most egregious violations of your liberty. It is a memo that is signed by Merrick Garland. … And make no mistake about it — parents in this country, they’re going to spy on you, they’re going to gather intelligence on you, they’re going to track you and organizations that you belong to, and a special phone number is set up so if a teacher or a bureaucrat or union or whomever thinks if you are threatening or harassing them, they will set loose the FBI to come to your home and to interview you. Among other things in this memo, loose language like they’re going to look at efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views. They’re going to be committed to using their authority and their resources. They have a dedicated line of communication for threat reporting. Now, there’s a problem here: The federal government has absolutely no authority whatsoever in the classroom, in the school district, at board meetings, period. There is no federal nexus of any kind whatsoever, and they know it.’”

He then tore the memo apart and stated that parents won’t be silenced and that the fight against such totalitarian measures will continue.

The New York Post wrote on October 10:

“Garland’s ominous memo… was a shocking abuse of his office on behalf of left-wing activists… We have heard American moms at school board meetings eloquently reject the perversions being forced on their children under the banner of ‘equity’ and ‘tolerance.’ They reject hateful racism disguised as ‘anti-racism’ that divides their children into oppressors and victims.

“They reject gender ideology that teaches their children there is no such thing as a boy or a girl. They reject racial quotas designed to exclude Asian students and unscientific pandemic paranoia that has seen teacher unions keep schools closed and demand children be masked and vaccinated, regardless of their well-being.

“Time and again we have seen arrogant school board members turn off microphones, shut down meetings and then, behind closed doors, ridicule these parents. So now the heavy hand of the DOJ has been deployed to silence them.”

America’s Authoritarianism

Fox News published on October 9 the following commentary by Tucker Carlson:

“The people in charge are intent on replacing our free democratic system with an authoritarian system where they don’t convince you of anything. They simply make you do things and they benefit from that…

“More than 60 percent of Democratic voters want the federal government to ‘control that flow of information over the internet.’…  that contravenes the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights, which is the very core of our system of government and of our culture, it’s what makes America great…

“So that’s authoritarianism, there’s no other word for it. And it’s ironic considering for four years, prominent Democrats told us we were living through a fascist system. Donald Trump was a fascist. But of course, they were describing their own attitudes…”

Pope Francis’s Latest Form of Idolatry

Life Site News wrote on October 8:

“Pope Francis joined with politicians, abortion promoters, and ecumenical leaders this week in Rome to promote ‘peace …fraternity … vaccines,’ all ‘in the spirit’ of the ‘idolatrous worship’ of the 1986 Assisi meeting… The meeting was described by the Lepanto Institute’s Michael Hichborn, as ‘another form of idolatry in the form of a human brotherhood without Christ.’…

“The symbol for the 2021 event featured a swirling, LGBT-colored flag topped with a white dove. The event was modeled on the ‘scandelous’ interreligious 1986 Assisi meeting at which Pope John Paul II prayed together with Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and representatives of many other religions…

“Bishop Athanasius Schneider stated that the 1986 Assisi meeting was a ‘preparation’ for the worship of the Pachamama statues in the Vatican Gardens, as it accustomed Catholics to the “erroneous teaching … that all religions are on the same level.’…

“The closing ceremony, which took place in the Colosseum, featured Pope Francis, Angela Merkel, the Grand Imam, and Rabbi Goldschmidt. On the 450th anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto, marking the Catholic victory over the Moslem fleet, the Pope prayed alongside leaders from Christianity, Islam, Hebraism, Buddhism, Tenrikyo, Hinduism, and Sikhism…. the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar… praised Pope Francis as ‘a man of peace and humanity par excellence,’ welcoming their now extensive collaboration…

“Meanwhile, Merkel spoke of the state’s obligation to protect ‘human dignity,’ on the day that a German court ruled the harsh impositions of the Bavarian state government to lock down and forbid citizens from leaving home in April 2020 were illegal and unnecessary…

“The meeting closed with a reading of the joint ‘Appeal for peace,’ declaring that ‘the name of God is peace.’

“LifeSiteNews spoke with Michael Hichborn, founder and president of the Lepanto Institute, who noted how the meeting came two years after the infamous Pachamama event in the Vatican. ‘Two years ago this month, Pope Francis participated in an act of idolatry, whereby the statue of a pagan deity of the earth was venerated in the Vatican Gardens, processed to the Vatican Synod Hall, and enthroned on the very altar of St. Peter’s,’ Hichborn told LifeSiteNews. ‘And now, the pope is practicing another form of idolatry in the form of a human brotherhood without Christ,’ declared Hichborn.

“‘Men of faith seek Christ to save them from the evils of the world, while men of no faith try to bargain with the world to ease their suffering… these men seek human solutions to what they believe to be man-made climate change…’”

Is Pope Francis trying to become the head of most Christian and non-Christian churches and religious organizations?

Pelosi’s Comments about the Pope

Breitbart wrote on October 11:

“Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi described this weekend’s private audience with Pope Francis as a ‘spiritual, personal and official honor.’ The pope’s leadership ‘is a source of joy and hope for Catholics and for all people, challenging each of us to be good stewards of God’s creation, to act on climate, to embrace the refugee, the immigrant and the poor, and to recognize the dignity and divinity in everyone,’ Pelosi wrote in a press release on her website.

“In her accolades to the pontiff’s ‘immense moral clarity,’ Pelosi carefully avoided any mention of abortion, which Francis describes as ‘murder’ and a ‘scourge’, likening it to hiring a paid assassin to take out a child. A ‘just society recognizes the primacy of the right to life from conception to natural death,’ he has asserted.

“In January 2015, Pelosi said that she knew ‘more about having babies than the pope,’ insisting that a woman has ‘the right’ to an abortion. In her acceptance speech for abortion giant Planned Parenthood’s highest honor — the Margaret Sanger Award — Pelosi, who identifies as a Catholic, went still further, calling pro-lifers (like the pope) ‘dumb,’ ‘closed-minded’ and ‘oblivious.’”

One wonders who is the greater hypocrite… Pelosi or the Pope?

Catholic Church an Abomination which should be Shut Down

Express wrote on October 11:

“THE Catholic Church is an abomination. It is a dark, dark stain on the soul of humanity. Bit harsh? More harsh or less harsh than the rape and sexual abuse of 330,000 innocent children by Catholic priests and lay-clergy?… Raped, tormented and sexually abused by religious men (and in some cases women). And revealed by an inquiry commissioned by the Catholic church itself in France.

“This is not a few bad apples tarnishing an otherwise wholly good and well-meaning organisation. This is a global paedophile gang. The enormity of the crime – and this was just in France alone remember- is so huge, so evil, so heart-wrenchingly dreadful we don’t even really have a word for it. It’s nothing short of a paedophillic holocaust.

“If you extrapolate that number across the world – and there is no reason to think France was some exception to the rule, we’ve seen the same in the US, Ireland, Germany, Chile, Australia and Poland – the number of children abused by members of the Catholic church becomes almost incomprehensible… It’s evil child molestation on an industrial scale. The Church’s Canon Law doesn’t even see sexual abuse, grooming minors for sex, possessing child pornography and the covering up of abuse as crimes….

“The Catholic church has always known this has gone on and has gone to extreme lengths to hide it… the church is also absolutely happy to lie and obfuscate at every turn…”

Tough Times for Britons [and Americans]

DNYUZ wrote on October 9:

“Britons are lining up for gas, staring at empty grocery shelves, paying higher taxes and worrying about spiraling prices as a grim winter approaches…

“But… Mr. Johnson characterized the multiple ills afflicting Britain as a ‘function of growth and economic revival’… on the way to a more prosperous future…

“For Mr. Johnson, critics said, the biggest risk is a lack of credibility. His initial claim that the food and fuel shortages were not caused by Brexit sounded unconvincing, given that his own government predicted rising prices and shortages of both in a 2019 report on the potential disruptions in the event of a ‘no-deal Brexit,’ in which Britain would leave the European Union without a trade agreement.”

Something similar is occurring in America. Breitbart wrote on October 11:

“President Joe Biden is still struggling to meet the immediate challenge of clogged sea ports, as American consumers face major shortages…

“Biden appointed John D. Porcari to as a ‘Port Envoy’ for the administration on August 21, joining Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to try and solve the shipping problems. But two months later, port delays continue. There are 146 cargo ships off the California coast waiting to get unloaded… on Thursday, Buttigieg struggled to offer any reassurance that the Biden administration was making progress as the problem continued to worsen…. He argued his department was making short term gains, but warned Americans that it was a long term problem.”

Turkey’s Declining Relations with Washington

The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 7:

“At a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed the growing links between Moscow and Ankara. The Sochi talks came after Erdogan failed to secure a meeting with US President Joe Biden on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Speaking to reporters after the meeting with Putin, Erdogan noted that he had proposed that Turkey work together with Russia on the construction of two more nuclear power plants on Turkish soil. The Russian company Rosatom is currently building a power plant in Akkuyu, in southern Turkey.

“The Turkish president also said last week that Turkey still intends to purchase a second supply of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia. The purchase of the system by Turkey last year led to US sanctions on Turkey’s Defense Industry Directorate, and the cancellation of Turkish reception of the F-35 fighter jet. In an interview with the CBS network, quoted by Reuters, the Turkish president said that ‘In the future, nobody will be able to interfere in terms of what kind of defense systems we acquire, from which country and at what level.’ The US State Department, responding to Erdogan’s statement, warned that any additional purchase of Russian defense systems would risk triggering additional sanctions.

“Erdogan’s statements confirm the Turkish tilt toward Russia, and Ankara’s growing estrangement from Washington…”

Turkey will turn out to become the declared enemy of the state of Israel and the USA.

Tensions between USA and EU Deepening

Express wrote on October 11:

“A ROW brewing over the future of the embattled IMF chief [accused of data-rigging] will overshadow crucial meetings this week, with tensions due to rise as the US and Japan face off against the European Union (EU)… and the divisions are deepening…

“… the 24 members of the IMF’s executive board are split into two camps, with the US and Japan on one side, and France, Germany, Italy, the UK, China and Russia on the other. The US and Japan – the fund’s two biggest shareholders – want Ms Georgieva gone. But France and other sympathetic nations want the Bulgarian economist to finish her term as IMF chief.”

Russia’s Blackmail Possibilities

The Article wrote on October 8:

“It would be fair to say that Britain has not looked as detached from the Continent since the 1960s… relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union show no sign of warming.

“The latest skeleton of contention can be summed up in one word: gas. Much of the EU… is dependent for its gas on Russia. By contrast, the UK extracts its gas from territorial waters or imports it from Norway and the Gulf. This makes our supplies relatively secure… But this security does not insulate the UK from international energy markets, over which Russia — which alone produces a quarter of the global gas supply — has an unhealthy influence.

“Hence Downing Street’s sharp critique of the Kremlin for playing power politics with gas. A spokesman for Boris Johnson last night accused Moscow of ‘choking off’ gas supplies in order to force up prices and thereby put pressure on the EU. At stake is the holy grail of Russian energy policy: the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which run under the Baltic Sea to Lublin, near Greifswald, in Germany… The new pipelines known as Nord Stream 2 are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gazprom, the Russian state energy company. The entire project was made possible by intensive lobbying in Germany by the former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who has been on the Gazprom payroll ever since he left office 16 years ago.

“Now completed, Nord Stream 2 awaits approval, first by German and then by EU regulators… Not only will Ukraine be cut out of the supply chain and lose a major source of revenue, but it may find itself even more strategically isolated and thereby vulnerable to Russian aggression. Ukraine’s ‘frozen war’ with pro-Russian separatists could be restarted by Moscow at any time. And the fact that Russia will, thanks to Nord Stream 2, have total control not only of its gas but also the pipelines to Central Europe gives Vladimir Putin the means to blackmail the EU on a range of issues, from military intervention to human rights…

“Meanwhile, the Biden Administration continues to refocus US foreign policy away from Russian threats to Europe and onto China’s threat to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region…

“54 per cent of Germans see France as a more important ally than America. Just 10 per cent rate the US as their most essential partner… A mere 1 per cent of Germans now see Great Britain as Germany’s most important ally, while another poll found that only 37 per cent even regard the UK as trustworthy…”

When Russia continues to blackmail Germany, Germany might respond. Ultimately, the relationship between Russia and Europe under German leadership will lead to an outright nuclear war.

Not Illegal for Jews to Pray on Temple Mount

Israel Today wrote on October 7:

“Conservative and religious Israeli media on Thursday hailed as a breakthrough a ruling by Jerusalem District Court Judge Bilha Yahalom in which she confirmed that it is neither illegal nor against current police regulations for Jews to quietly pray atop the Temple Mount…

“Israel does not allow Jews or Christians to openly pray or perform any other religious activities there. However, in recent months, the police have been turning a blind eye to increasing Jewish prayers atop the sacred plateau. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sparked a coalition crisis when he responded to this apparent shift in the status quo by thanking the police for ‘maintaining freedom of worship for Jews on the Temple Mount.’…

“This week’s ruling by Judge Yahalom marks the first time an Israeli court has backed the legal right of Jews to pray at the Temple Mount.”

Angry Palestinian Reactions to Court Ruling

Israel 365 wrote on October 8:

“Thousands of Palestinians answered a call to action on Arab media by arriving at the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, on Friday morning, purportedly for prayer.  Palestinians who arrived at the site reportedly chanted, ‘With our blood and souls we will redeem you, al-Aqsa.’… The Waqf, the custodial authority which managed the edifices on the Temple Mount, called the ruling a ‘flagrant violation’ of the compound’s sanctity and a ‘clear provocation’ for Muslims worldwide… Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh called on the United States to intervene to prevent Jews from having the right to pray on the Temple Mount. He also called on Arab countries to show solidarity with the Palestinians.

“Hamas, the ruling party in Gaza recognized by many countries around the world as a terrorist organization, called the move a ‘blatant aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and a clear declaration of a war that goes beyond political rights to an aggression against religion and sanctities’. The group said in a statement that the ‘resistance is ready and prepared to repel aggression and defend rights.’”

Especially the Temple Mount and the al Aqsa mosque are of tremendous prophetic importance.

Israel 365 write on October 10:

“Jews barely got a chance to act on the court ruling allowing them to pray silently at their holiest site before the court reversed its decision in what Hamas declared a victory that could be credited to their missile attacks…”

The police had appealed the original decision, and a fearful political court gave in.

Pope Sells Out Israel to Abbas

IQNA wrote on October 12:

“[Palestinian Authority Mahmoud] Abbas affirmed the importance of starting a political process that ends the Israeli occupation of Palestine, with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital… Pope Francis said, ‘We all want a two-state solution, and East Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine, and this is the right path because it is the path to peace.’

“He also expressed happiness to continue communicating with President Abbas as the President of Palestine, saying he will continue to stand by [his] side and make efforts to achieve peace.”

Poland and Hungary vs. EU

Newsmax wrote on October 9:

“On Thursday, Europe was stunned by a decision from Poland’s highest court that rules set by the European Union could not override Polish law and Polish membership in the 27-nation organization did not give sovereignty to EU courts. Two days later, in Budapest, Prime Minister Viktor Orban signed a government resolution which supports the decision of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ‘about the primacy of national law.’…

“Most recently, Poland and the EU have clashed over their respective views on gay rights. In July, EU lawyers opened a case against Poland after some of that country’s regions and municipalities declared themselves ‘LGBT-ideology free zones.’ ‘This is a case of East vs. West,’ Nigel Farrage, the father of the British ‘Brexit’ from the EU, told Newsmax. ‘The Christian culture against the non-binary [LGBT-friendly] culture.’”

Even though divided on numerous issues, it does not appear that Poland and Hungary will depart from the EU.

Nordic Nations vs. EU

Express wrote on October 9:

“Since the UK voted to quit the bloc in 2016, tensions between other member states and the European Commission have continued to simmer. Anger has been aimed towards the Commission, led by its President Ursula von der Leyen, over a series of issues including the coronavirus rollout and legal disputes… a year after the Brexit vote, five influential figures from Nordic countries issued a joint plea to ensure some nations inside, and outside of the bloc, lessen their ties with Brussels.

“Mark Brolin, Jan-Erik Gustafsson, Helle Hagenau, Ulla Klötzer and Erna Bjarnadóttir – from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland – co-authored the opinion piece [in 2017], which also outlined how the EU would turn against voters who criticised the bloc… The five experts… detailed how there was… a ‘growing friction’ with member states of what was deemed ‘incompatible goals’ demanded by the EU… ‘a large part of Europeans are described as narrow-minded, old-fashioned and isolationist or in the power of ‘dark forces’.”

Denmark against EU Army

The Telegraph wrote on October 9:

Denmark’s prime minister has pledged to resist Emmanuel Macron’s proposals for an EU military force…

“Prominent EU figures are calling for a unit of up to 20,000 troops able to deploy quickly across the globe, with officials expected to present a draft proposal for a ‘first-entry force’ in November.”

Nordic countries might not end up being part of core Europe, consisting of ten European nations or groups of nations.

Appeals Court Reinstates Texas Abortion Law

The Associated Press wrote on October 9:

“A federal appeals court Friday night quickly allowed Texas to resume banning abortions after heartbeats have been detected… A one-page order by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the nation’s strictest abortion law, which bans abortions… usually around six weeks. It makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest…

“…U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, an appointee of President Barack Obama, on Wednesday suspended the Texas law… Knowing that order might not stand long, a handful of Texas clinics immediately started performing abortions again beyond six weeks… But barely 48 hours passed before the appeals court accepted Texas’ request to set aside Pitman’s ruling — at least for now — pending further arguments…

“Before Pitman’s blistering 113-page order, other courts had declined to stop the law… That includes the Supreme Court, which allowed it to move forward in September without ruling on its constitutionality… A 1992 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court prevented states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy…”

Fauci’s and Newsom’s Dictatorship

International Family News (IFN) wrote on October 7:

“A powerful movement is sweeping blue states in America, fueled by fear and Anthony Fauci, to require every student in schools – public and private – to be vaccinated against COVID-19. California’s Governor Gavin Newsom is leading the charge with a first-in-the-nation declaration that all students from youngest to oldest must be vaccinated in order to attend school. His order is prospective by necessity because none of the vaccines available have yet been approved for use in children. But Newsom wants the world to know that as soon as they are, every school-age kid in California must get one [unless they qualify for medical or religious exemptions].

“To say that people are not embracing Newsom’s mandate is an understatement… The opinion of parents, pediatricians and education officials matter little when the nation’s ‘top infectious disease expert,’ Dr. Anthony Fauci, has a different viewpoint. Fauci attempted to shut up the parents and other objectors when he cheered the mandate in a statement to the media…

“When I was a child, kids who came down with chickenpox were considered a cause for celebration – every child in the neighborhood who had not yet been infected with chickenpox was invited to come play at the infected kids’ house so they would all be exposed. This resulted in them gaining natural immunity against chickenpox. Natural immunity, however, does not make pharmaceutical companies any money…

“… most of the COVID-19 vaccines, including those from Pfizer and Moderna (the two most widespread COVID vaccines) are of a quite new technology called mRNA (messenger RNA). These vaccines do not contain a live virus. Instead, they make specific proteins to trigger an immune response. We have no experience in assessing the efficacy and adverse reactions over time of these vaccines in school-age children. In fact, only recently did the Pfizer vaccine receive full FDA approval for use in adults. Previously it was made available on an ‘emergency use’ basis only… The studies that Pfizer has conducted on children are strictly limited to assessing the vaccine’s initial effectiveness and exploring any immediate adverse effects. They do not attempt to examine long-term reactions, nor could they…

“There are examples of other childhood vaccines initially thought to be safe that caused long term adverse reactions. For example, researchers found that the Hib vaccine… for meningitis is associated with an increased risk of diabetes… Despite the fact that this vaccine may cause more harm than good for children over the long term, it remains a required vaccine in many states for kids to enter kindergarten. In the same report that studied the Hib vaccine, researchers wrote, ‘The incidence of many other chronic immunological diseases, including asthma, allergies, and immune mediated cancers, has risen rapidly and may also be linked to immunisation.’…

“People have been on the move out of California for a while now. In fact, the state lost a seat in Congress because of all the people who have exited the state… A rush to the exits is what you get when you have feckless politicians like Gavin Newsom issuing decrees fueled by fraudulent claims by the likes of Anthony Fauci.”

Canada’s Unconstitutional Dictatorship and Persecution of Christian Churches

LifeSiteNews reported on October 11:

“During a Thanksgiving church service this Sunday, New Brunswick police officers and health officials arrested a pastor and padlocked the church being used, citing that the number of attendees at the service exceeded the so-called COVID-19 ‘health limit.’ ‘WELCOME TO CANADA, WHERE THEY PADLOCK THE CHURCH ON THANKSGIVING,’ posted founder and lead pastor of His Tabernacle Family Church Phil Hutchings on Facebook, the morning after his associate’s arrest and his church’s closure. ‘They came harassing me this morning at my home again…after the court told them not to return to our residence for any correspondence. Now Public Safety has issued closure of our church doors even after we complied,’ he added….

“Section 3 demands that ‘owners, occupiers, and managers’ demand each person provide ‘proof-of-vaccination’ before entering any publicly accessible ‘indoor gatherings’ under their purview. A small exception is made for churches, that if they cannot comply with the vaccine mandate, they must operate at 50 percent capacity, disallow any form of singing, require everyone to wear a mask, and space everyone two meters apart. In even more Orwellian fashion, Section 15 compels everyone operating a publicly accessible facility in the province to allow police and public health officials access to the facility, whenever asked, for inspections related to the compliance of COVID-19 government measures.

“Fielding additional opposition to the shocking action taken by the government, while pointing out the hypocrisy that the arrest, detainment, and closure was carried out in the name of public health and the ‘common good,’ Hutchings continued to blast the government on social media. ‘Church isn’t just Sunday services. THEY HAVE OFFICIALLY SHUT DOWN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES & COMMUNITY OUTREACHES & FEEDING PROGRAMS,’ stated Hutchings…

“This is not the first time that the Canadian government has locked churches, detained pastors, and issued fines for public worship, all in the name of COVID.  At least four pastors have been arrested in Alberta alone for holding church services that violate COVID-19 mandates, with one pastor, James Coates, spending 35 days in jail when he dared to hold public worship services during the so-called pandemic.

“Additionally, in Nova Scotia, Western Christian Fellowship Church currently faces over $100,000 in fines for keeping their church open and has also retained Rebel News’ Fight the Fines to help mount their legal defense.

“As stated by Canadian constitutional lawyer Rocco Galati, who is currently leading multiple lawsuits against all levels of government regarding so-called COVID-19 restrictions, ‘This is not a medical or health agenda, this is a political one. They want everybody vaccinated for whatever reason...’”

Sadly, that’s the truth. SHAME on Canada’s authoritarian governmental restrictions. And remember the Pastor who called Canadian police officers Nazis and Gestapo? Here is the latest:

National Post wrote on October 4:

“An Alberta pastor who, along with his brother, was found guilty of contempt after deliberately violating COVID-19 health orders has told a judge that he is a political prisoner who is being persecuted by Alberta Health Services. Artur Pawlowski said during a seven-minute statement at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday that he and his brother, Dawid, have done nothing wrong. ‘I am here before this court as a political prisoner of conscience,’ he said before Justice Adam Germain. ‘The AHS and the politicians have found a new way of penalizing anyone that is opposing their unconstitutional medical tyranny. They hate the idea that they have been exposed for what they really are: liars, hypocrites and cheaters,’ he said. ‘I have heard from my grandparents about similar tactics from the time of the Nazis, persecuting churches and the clergy. Canada has fallen. Sure you can lock us up and throw the key away, but our political imprisonment will shout even louder about the hypocrisy.’

“…At the sentencing hearing Monday, the health provider asked that the pastor be jailed for 21 days and that his brother be sentenced to 10 days. The court is also being asked to fine Artur Pawlowski $2,000 and impose $15,000 in costs. Sarah Miller, who is representing the Pawlowskis, said there is no need to incarcerate her clients… Germain said he will release his decision Oct. 13.”

This is beyond belief! Canada has fallen indeed. Canada’s actions can only be described as those of a total dictatorship.

Natural Immunity not sufficient?

Newsmax wrote on October 10:

“A request to block Michigan State University’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate based on natural immunity was denied by a federal judge. Jeanna Norris, a university employee, sued against the mandate since she already had the virus and recovered. She presented two antibody tests to MSU that showed her previous infection, and said her doctors told her that she did not need the vaccine.

“The university’s mandate states that all students and staff, unless they have a medical or religious exemption, must get vaccinated or face termination. U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney denied Norris’s lawsuit, stating that the school did not violate her rights…

“Jenin Younes, a lawyer with the legal group New Civil Liberties Alliance, who represents Norris, told the Epoch Times that ‘Ms. Norris courageously brought this lawsuit to vindicate the constitutional rights of individuals with naturally acquired immunity to COVID-19 who are subject to irrational vaccine mandates. While we are disappointed by today’s order, we are committed to fighting for the rights of COVID-recovered Americans to decline a medically unnecessary vaccine without having to sacrifice their livelihoods.’”

Ignorant judges become the masters of the universe…

Natural Immunity Broadly Effective

The Ron Paul Institute re-published the following lengthy article on October 11 by the Browning Institute. We are quoting some relevant excerpts:

“From the beginning of the March 2020 lockdowns for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the subject of natural immunity (also called post-infection immunity) has been neglected. Once the vaccination became widely available, what began with near silence at the beginning turned nearly into a complete blackout of the topic.

“Even now, there is an absence of open discussion, presumably in the interests of promoting universal vaccination and required documentation of such vaccination as a condition of participating in public life and even the jobs marketplace. Still, the science exists. Many studies exist…

“These studies demonstrate what was and is already known: natural immunity for a SARS-type virus is robust, long-lasting, and broadly effective even in the case of mutations, generally more so than vaccines. In fact, a major contribution of 20th-century science has been to expand upon and further elucidate this principle that has been known since the ancient world. Every expert presumably knew this long before the current debates. The effort to pretend otherwise is a scientific scandal of the highest order, especially because the continued neglect of the topic is affecting the rights and freedoms of billions of people.

“People who have contracted the virus and recovered deserve recognition… The realization that natural immunity – which pertains now to perhaps half of the US population and billions around the world – is effective in providing protection should have a dramatic effect on vaccine mandates.”

The article then proceeded to cite, link to and summarize 29 scientific studies proving the effectiveness of natural immunity.

The Incredible Push for Vaccination

The Associated Press wrote on October 13:

“The U.S. will reopen its land borders to nonessential travel next month… as the country moves to require all international visitors to be vaccinated against the coronavirus… The new rules… will allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals to enter the U.S. regardless of the reason for travel starting in early November, when a similar easing of restrictions is set to kick in for air travel into the country. By mid-January, even essential travelers seeking to enter the U.S., like truck drivers, will need to be fully vaccinated….

“Travelers entering the U.S. by vehicle, rail and ferry will be asked about their vaccination status as part of the standard U.S. Customs and Border Protection admissions process. At officers’ discretion, travelers will have their proof of vaccination verified in a secondary screening process. Unlike air travel, for which proof of a negative COVID-19 test is required before boarding a flight to enter the U.S., no testing will be required to enter the U.S. by land or sea, provided the travelers meet the vaccination requirement.”

Similar ridiculous measures will apply to Canada, beginning October 30, 2021. To depart from Canadian airports or to travel on VIA Rail or Rocky Mountaineer trains, travelers will need to qualify as being fully vaccinated. This also applies to travelers on cruise ships with the beginning of the cruise season in 2022.

But the resistance in the USA to mandatory vaccinations is growing. Note the next articles.

Vaccine Mandate Resistance—LA County Sheriff

The Associated Press wrote on October 8:

“The Los Angeles County sheriff says he will not enforce the county’s vaccine mandate in his agency. Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who oversees the largest sheriff’s department in the country with roughly 18,000 employees, said… that he does not plan to carry out the county’s mandate, under which Los Angeles County employees had to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1.

“The mandate was issued by executive order in August and allows only for religious and medical exemptions. Villanueva said his employees are willing to be terminated rather than get vaccinated… Villanueva’s announcement came a day after the city of Los Angeles approved one of the nation’s strictest vaccine mandates–a sweeping measure that requires the shots for everyone entering bars, restaurants, nail salons, gyms or even a Lakers game.”

Vaccine Mandate Resistance—LA Fire Fighters

LifeSiteNews reported on October 12’

“871 Los Angeles firefighters, representing roughly 25% of the total personnel on the department, have filed a notice of intent to sue California’s most populous city for its COVID-19 vaccine mandate… as having caused ‘injury, damage, or loss’ by setting a hard deadline of October 20 by which all city firefighters must get vaccinated or else risk losing their jobs… The firefighters have claimed $2 million each in damages which, if awarded, would amount to a total of $1.7 billion in payouts…

“[The notice] stated that the department and chiefs in question told their employees they would be sent home for five days without pay if they refused to get the mandated injection by the deadline. If the firefighters hold firm in their refusal of the experimental inoculation, the LAFD has threatened to fire them… Calling the mandate ‘extreme and outrageous,’ the filing contended the policy was enacted ‘in reckless disregard of the probability of causing emotional distress to Claimants,’ adding that such harm has in fact occurred… The notice also claimed the mandate has pitted members of the public against firefighters who have chosen to opt out of the experimental injection.

“To make matters worse, if that were even possible, the Department is now setting citizens of the City of Los Angeles against Claimants and other unvaccinated firefighters through media and public relations campaigns, creating fear and confusion in the general public. Consequently, Claimants now suffer indignities and viperous comments when responding to emergency calls, which compounds and increases the stress suffered by Claimants…”

Vaccine Mandate Resistance –Seattle Police Force

The New York Post wrote on October 9:

“[Seattle] is poised to fire as many as 403 officers, about 40 percent of the 1,000-person force, for failing to take the COVID-19 jab by an Oct. 18 deadline… A total of 292 officers had yet to provide proof of COVID vaccination as of Oct. 6, the station reports. In addition, 111 officers are awaiting the results of exemption requests…

“The Seattle Police Department has already lost more than 300 officers since Black Lives Matters riots and the ‘defund the police’ movement roiled the city in 2020, putting officers in the crosshairs of political and public ire.”

Vaccine Mandate Resistance—US Service Members

The Washington Post wrote on October 10:

“Hundreds of thousands of U.S. service members remain unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated against the coronavirus as the Pentagon’s first compliance deadlines near… 90 percent of the active-duty Navy is fully vaccinated, whereas just 72 percent of the Marine Corps is, the data show, even though both services share a Nov. 28 deadline. In the Air Force, more than 60,000 personnel have just three weeks to meet the Defense Department’s most ambitious deadline….

“Combined, the Army Guard and Reserve comprise approximately 522,000 soldiers, roughly a quarter of the entire U.S. military… Barely 40 percent are fully vaccinated…”

Newsmax wrote on October 13:

“The archbishop of the U.S. military on Tuesday said Roman Catholic troops could refuse the required COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. Timothy Broglio, archbishop for the military services, said in a statement that, ‘no one should be forced to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if it would violate the sanctity of his or her conscience.’ Some service members have requested religious exemptions through the Religious Freedom Restoration Act after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a military-wide vaccine mandate this summer.

“While explaining that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had determined that being vaccinated was ‘not sinful,’ Broglio said the church valued its teachings on the ‘sanctity of conscience.’ ‘This circumstance raises the question of whether the vaccine’s moral permissibility precludes an individual from forming a sincerely held religious belief that receiving the vaccine would violate his conscience,’ Broglio wrote. ‘It does not.’…”

Vaccine Mandate Resistance–Airlines

Breitbart wrote on October 10:

“Just two days after the Southwest pilots union asked a federal judge to block the company’s vaccine mandate, the airline canceled 1,800 flights this weekend, blaming bad weather… Chris Bianchi, a meteorologist out of Denver, told CNBC that he did not see the type of severe weather that would have caused massive flight delays…

“On Friday, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) filed a lawsuit asking that a federal judge ‘temporarily block the company from carrying out federally mandated coronavirus vaccinations…  ‘The new vaccine mandate unlawfully imposes new conditions of employment and the new policy threatens termination of any pilot not fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021,’ the legal filing said… SWAPA represents nearly 10,000 pilots… Whether or not the pilots staged a mass protest, people on Twitter expressed support for their fight against the company’s vaccine mandate.”

CNBC added on October 11:

“Southwest Airlines shares tumbled more than 3% in premarket trading Monday after canceling more than 2,000 flights since Saturday, disrupting the travel plan of thousands of people. Southwest canceled 347 flights on Monday, down from 1,124 on Sunday, which was 30% of its schedule.”

In addition, other airlines are facing similar problems. Breitbart reported on October 10:

“Many United Airlines employees are showing support for those pushing back against the company’s vaccine mandate, an airline health activist said Friday. ‘We have people in every department, every day. The number is growing. I keep getting words of encouragement… even the vaccinated… understand that we are here trying to protect our religious liberty and freedoms,’ Sherry Walker told Breitbart News…

“Six United Airlines workers are suing the company in a class action on behalf of up to 2,000 employeesover its coronavirus vaccine mandate, alleging it violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against them based on their religious and medical exemptions. However, the airline later agreed to postpone its company-wide vaccine mandate until a federal judge could hold further hearings…”

Deutsche Welle added on October 13:

“A Texas judge has temporarily put a stop to United Airlines placing employees on unpaid leave if they have received religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccinations. The order will remain in place until October 26.”

Vaccine Mandate Resistance—Nurses and Healthcare Workers

The Ron Paul Weekly Column wrote on October 11:

“The incredible cruelty and folly of forced vaccines finally came home to roost. The vaccine mandate backlash has been bubbling just under the surface, but now it has spilled out into the open, threatening to completely derail an already crumbling economy and to obliterate a deeply unpopular US President and Administration…

“Over the past few weeks, thousands of nurses, medical workers, and first responders have either quit or been fired for refusing to receive a medical treatment they do not want or need. The ‘nursing shortage’ that Democrat politicians and the mainstream media had been blaming on ‘rising Covid cases’ has been in reality a man-made disaster of historic proportions. The nursing crisis is not caused by ‘Covid’ – cases have been in decline in the US for weeks. It is caused by the firing of medical personnel who refuse to take the experimental Covid shots.

“The stupidity of adopting a policy of firing healthcare workers while at the same time claiming that there is a raging pandemic gripping the country has not been lost on Americans. President Biden’s polling numbers have unsurprisingly been in freefall, with major Democrat candidates like Virginia’s Terry McAuliffe openly complaining that the deeply unpopular Biden is threatening him in a tight race for governor.

“While Biden Administration lackeys like Fauci are telling Americans they can’t celebrate Christmas again this year, more and more of America is finished with this ‘public health’ terrorism. Here in Texas, a hundred thousand unmasked Texas A&M fans poured onto the football field on Saturday after a last minute surprise victory over Alabama. In Texas and elsewhere, the Administration is losing the fear factor.

“History may record this weekend as the turning point against the Biden Administration’s Covid tyranny. From nurses to pilots to truckers to even Amtrak workers, it appears that America is standing up and saying ‘enough!’…”

Vaccine Mandate Resistance—The State of Texas

Reuters wrote on October 11:

“Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, responding to what he called ‘bullying’ by the Biden Administration, on Monday barred all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the state by any entity, including private employers. Abbott’s move sets him up for a clash with President Joe Biden … who last month called on businesses nationwide to order their workers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. At least several thousand people have since been fired for refusing to comply.”

The Associated Press wrote on October 13:

“With the governor of Texas leading the charge, conservative Republicans in several states are moving to block or undercut President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private employers… White House officials… said the Biden administration will… put the private workplace mandate into effect along with others it ordered for federal contractors and employees at health care facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursements. All told, those mandates could affect up to 100 million Americans….

“Several large companies in Texas have already implemented their own vaccine mandates, and two Texas-based airlines, Southwest and American, indicated Tuesday they would follow the order of the Biden administration, saying federal action supersedes any state mandate or law… lawmakers in Arkansas have approved a measure creating vaccine-mandate exemptions. Though the GOP governor hasn’t said whether he will sign it, it has prompted fears that businesses will be forced to choose whether to break federal or state law.”

What a nightmare scenario. The unvaccinated are becoming ostracized and “scapegoated,” not unlike what happened to the Jews over the centuries.  It appears the Biden Administration is being led to stubbornly and foolishly do everything they possibly can think of to destroy the country, and they might even become responsible for the outbreak of civil war.

Displaying Toys in gender-neutral ways

The Associated Press wrote on October 9:

“California on Saturday became the first state to say large department stores must display products like toys and toothbrushes in gender-neutral ways, a win for LGBT advocates who say the pink and blue hues of traditional marketing methods pressure children to conform to gender stereotypes.

“The new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom… applies to toys and ‘childcare items,’ which include hygiene and teething products. And it… applies to stores with at least 500 employees, meaning small businesses are exempt.

“This is the third time Democrats in the state Legislature have tried to pass this law, with similar bills failing in 2019 and 2020…”

This is just more nonsense from California—the Union’s most liberal state. Sadly, many states will follow California’s bad example.

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 part of this two-part series, we covered a number of areas where we have to be careful about the company we keep.   Let us move on to the question of friends.

Our good and true friends are those who will be with us in the bad times as well as in good times.   They will not be fair-weather friends. We have to be aware of the admonition in Proverbs 16:28: “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.”

Proverbs 17:17 states that “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” A friendship that is underpinned by God’s Holy Spirit and the love of God will be able to withstand the inevitable ups and downs that life throws at us.   The Free Dictionary states that “Human beings necessarily depend on one another, as you can’t manage all by yourself; no man is an island.  This expression is a quotation from John Donne’s Devotions (1624).”

A very important and vital part of the company we keep is outlined in Proverbs 27:6: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”   Very often, we can bridle when we are told something that we don’t want to hear or don’t agree with, but a true friend we should cherish—one whom we can trust, someone who will be straightforward, honest and without hypocrisy towards us—and we should not resent and argue with those true friends who give us honest counsel.  And that is nowhere better expressed than in John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

As someone once wrote: “Fake friends are like shadows, always near you at your brightest moments, but nowhere to be seen at your darkest hour.   True friends are like stars, you don’t always see them but they are always there.  True friends are always there for you. Fake friends only appear when they need something from you.”

We also have to be on our guard against evildoers and not be complicit in any of their ways.  Psalm 26:5 gives clarity to those with whom we should not have friendship or fellowship: “I have hated the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked.”

We are advised in Psalm 37:1: “Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.”

The Pulpit Commentary observes: “The feeling does not need to be eradicated, but only to be held in check. Faith in God’s retributive justice will enable us calmly to await ‘the end’ (Psalm 73:17),  in full assurance that ultimately God’s vengeance will overtake the wicked man, and he will receive condign (fitting and deserved) punishment. Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. Envy is not a natural passion. To envy the evil-doers on account of their prosperity is at once a folly and a danger. Their position is really not enviable; and, if we allow ourselves to envy them, we shall be tempted to follow their example (see Proverbs 24:1)”  Again, the company we keep is a vital factor in our Christian lives.

Psalm 59:2 delivers a very similar message: “Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloodthirsty men.”

“The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong disdain for ‘religious’ things. As he plowed his field on Sunday morning, he would shake his fist at the church people who passed by on their way to worship. October came and the farmer had his finest crop ever–the best in the entire county. When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local paper which belittled the Christians for their faith in God. Near the end of his diatribe he wrote, ‘Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper.’ The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite. In the next edition of the town paper, a small ad appeared. It read simply, ‘God doesn’t always settle His accounts in October’” (William E. Brown in Making Sense of Your Faith).In Malachi 4:1, we read about the eventual and inevitable outcome of the proud and the wicked: “‘For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘That will leave them neither root nor branch.’”

Being aware of evil men and their schemes and plans is necessary so that we can avoid being in, and involved with, their wrong way of life.   It can be too easy to turn a blind eye to wrongdoing; that is, to ignore something that you know is wrong.

Another area to avoid is that of those who are very negative and seem to thrive on misery.

We’ve probably all heard the phrase that misery loves company and negative people can enjoy making others miserable.

“Misery loves company, and it’s really no big surprise either. While happier people can sometimes help balance this out, a miserable person is a force to be reckoned with, and one that if unwatched, will attempt to bring you down as well.  The thing is, no miserable person wants to see a bunch of happy, cheery people around them. If this were the case, then the term ‘misery loves company’ wouldn’t hold true. Having a miserable friend, spouse, or co-worker is bad enough, but dancing to the same miserable tune that they are is what you really want to watch out for.

“Why DOES misery love company? Is it out of jealousy? Is it out of resentment? Do miserable people just naturally attract one another? It’s actually a combination of all three, although which factors are weighted more heavily than the others will depend on the actual individual.  Most people that are happy with life generally don’t criticize or attempt to belittle others unless it was done to them first. I can always tell when someone is miserable though when I hear those kinds of questions…, it’s an obvious attempt at bringing you down to their level” (feelguide.com).

In these two Q&As, we have seen that we are not to walk with, or be envious of evildoers; we are not to be of the world and its ways, cling to those who flatter or be unequally yoked in any way with others who have a wrong mindset.   We are also to beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing, not to mix with the wrong crowd and stay away from those who are perpetually negative and spread misery.   Peer pressure can also be a stumbling block where the prevailing ethos in society or the company we keep can be a major distraction, if we are not strong enough in the faith to dismiss and remove this from our lives.

The importance of keeping good company cannot be over-emphasized, and good and true friends can help us in achieving our goal of making it into the Kingdom of God.   We must always keep in mind that “evil company corrupts good habits.”

Someone observed wisely that “You’re the coach: you pick the players on your team.  If you affiliate with people who are pessimistic, burned out, and negative, you’re likely to adopt those same views.”

We should surround ourselves, wherever possible, with uplifting and positive true Christians, whose guiding principles would be wholly positive and not disruptive to our faith in any way.

So, what are we to do about it?   Let us review a few verses that can be very helpful.

We can learn a lot from the Psalms, and the Scriptures below show what our approach should be:  “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners,Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).   The Pulpit Commentary observes as follows:

“(1) He ‘does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly’; i.e. he does not throw in his lot with the wicked does not participate in their projects or designs;

“(2) he standeth not in the way of sinners; i.e. he does not take part in their actions, does not follow the same moral paths; and

“(3) he sitteth not in the seat of the scornful; i.e. has no fellowship with them in the ‘scorn’ which they cast upon religion.”

Psalm 26:4-5 also delineates those with whom we should have no fellowship: “I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, Nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers. And will not sit with the wicked.”

The Treasury of David opines: “So far from being himself an open offender against the laws of God, the Psalmist had not even associated with the lovers of evil. He had kept aloof from the men of Belial. A man is known by his company, and if we have kept ourselves apart from the wicked, it will always be evidence in our favour should our character be impugned. He who was never in the parish is not likely to have stolen the corn. He who never went to sea is clearly not the man who scuttled the ship.”

Psalm 111:1 tells us: “Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.”

We read in Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart – With undivided affections; holding back nothing. I will allow nothing to be in my heart that would interfere with the fullness of praise; no coldness or dividedness of affection; no love for other things that would deaden my love for God; no suspicion respecting him that would chill my ardor; no unbelief that would drag me down to earth, while the language of my lips ascended to God.  In the assembly of the upright – With the righteous when they are gathered together for public worship.”

Further good advice can be found in Psalm 141:4-5: “Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies. Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.”

That is a good place to finish where the psalmist, David, prays for safekeeping from wickedness as the sub-heading to the chapter in the New King James Bible reads.   By being aware of the company we keep and opting for the only way that leads to salvation, we will reap the benefits for eternity!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Norbert Link

A new Member Letter (October 15, 2021)  has been written, posted and sent out. In the letter, Michael Link is discussing our ongoing challenges which are many times caused by Satan, and encourages all of us to continue with our fight for the Kingdom of God.

A new StandingWatch program has been recorded by Norbert Link, titled, “Is Civil War Coming?”

Here is a summary:

Developments within the USA are unprecedented… and resentment against vaccination mandates and anger against censorship are boiling over. We really have an unsustainable situation today—an extremely intense conflict between states and the federal government. The warning words of Abraham Lincoln come to mind. Do biblical end-time prophecies have anything to say about a civil war within the USA?

“Wer sind die zwei Zeugen?” (Who are the two witnesses?”) is the title of this coming Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link.

“Schöne neue Welt” (“Beautiful new world”), the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Daniel Blasinger, is now posted.

“Meekness—What is it?” — the first split sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell—is now posted.

“Who are the Two Witnesses?” — the second split sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link—is also posted.

On October 9, 2021, Kalon Mitchell will present a split sermon, titled, “Meekness – What Is It?” and Norbert Link will present a split sermon, titled “Who are the two Witnesses?”

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.

Recent history is full of really difficult problems, such as wars, widespread diseases, political and economic upheaval and countless other challenges—both small and great. Right now, we are in the midst of a global pandemic, Coronavirus Covid 19.

Although we may never know the actual number of deaths from Covid 19, we do know that worldwide the alleged number is approaching five million. It is also claimed that tens of millions more people have or are suffering from this terrible virus.

True Christians are not immune to the ravages of the Covid 19. That fact has become abundantly clear following the Church of God’s observance of the Fall Festivals of God. Many people have been struck with Covid 19—some so severely that they could not at all observe the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, while others were prevented from attending some of the services. Infections have not been limited to one particular church group. Reports indicate that individuals in many churches have contracted Covid 19.

As Christians, we have been taught to turn to God in times like these and seek His protection and His healing (James 5:14-18). But what do we do after we have been anointed? When complete healing does not come quickly, do we begin to doubt—even question whether or not God has heard our prayer to Him?

We might also ask ourselves, “How strong is my faith in God?” One example stands out in answering this question:

“Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come,” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’ When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’… Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour” (Matthew 8:5-10, 13).

James 5, verse 15, states, “And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” To call upon the ministry for anointing is having faith, like the centurion, to put our complete trust in God—in what God is able to do and in what He has promised to do, in times like these.

by Norbert Link

We begin with several articles, showing the decline of America’s influence in the world and the steady downfall of Joe Biden; continue with reports on more and more draconian authoritarian measures and restrictions to “fight” the coronavirus which deprive us of our liberty and freedom; speak of the coming European army and Germany’s elections; a cooperation agreement between Germany and the PA; Chinese provocations; the ruthless fight of abortionists against innocent lives; the interesting real results of the Arizona Senate Report; and we conclude with new findings pertaining to Noah’s Ark and Mount Sinai. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America’s Downfall and Europe’s Rise.”

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

Will Biden’s Fall Be Worse than his Summer?

The Wall Street Journal wrote on September 30:

“The White House should be feeling alarm. It hasn’t been a good summer for the president, and it isn’t looking to be a good fall. The manner and timing of the withdrawal from Afghanistan was a catastrophe that left Americans infuriated and ashamed. The president’s statements and interviews in the aftermath were highly unsuccessful. The testimony of his top military leaders that they advised him to leave 2,500 troops to keep the process safe made him look dodgy. The whole thing was a botch from beginning to end, and it will stick in history. The images it yielded (kids running to the planes, 13 Americans killed as they tried to bring order) seemed to sum up the political moment, making this seem not like merely a bad event for the president but a definitional one.

“The White House pandemic response has been uneven to the point of baffling. Inflation is going up (in June the Federal Reserve estimated it at 3.4% for the year; by September, 4.2%.) Immigration is not a problem but a crisis, and there appears to be no administration plan to deal with the reality that those from other countries who want to come here approach our border as if there is no border. What the crisis requires, at a bare minimum, is a sense of urgency, of something being done. There is no such sense. Their only plan seems to be hoping Border Patrol agents will do something wrong, or at least something that looks bad, so White House officials can lay blame with indignation and performative compassion….”

Breitbart added on October 1:

“Polling shows that a majority of voters know… Joe Biden lied about Afghanistan and now want him to resign over that fiasco.”

Why the World Does Not Listen to Biden

The Hill wrote on September 28:

“The Economist asked… author Robert Kaplan, political scientist Francis Fukuyama, diplomat Henry Kissinger, and historian Niall Ferguson – to opine generally on America’s future, and particularly on whether the U.S. will be able to maintain its influence on global politics in the future. While in broad agreement on the fact of American decline, they brought varying perspectives on causation and what the path to the future might look like. Kissinger’s diagnosis was particularly compelling: ‘The United States has torn itself apart in its counterinsurgent efforts because of its inability to define attainable goals and to link them in a way that is sustainable by the American political process.’

“…Walter Russell Mead examined the world’s dilemmas through an even wider lens and declared that the root cause of American decline… stems from the fact that ‘globalists have so far failed to master the challenges of the 21st century.’…

“All of this history is the necessary backdrop to understanding President Biden’s recent speech at the United Nations… Had Biden with some humility acknowledged past mistakes, both recent and more distant, and proposed a bold change of course credibly aimed at rectifying errors, the applause he heard might have been sincere and even hopeful. Instead, a wondering audience and worried world heard a speech that seemed to come out of a time warp, in which it was still 1991 and not 2021… the fading notes of an uncertain trumpet echoing a world gone by.

“Unsurprisingly, people are disinclined to listen when the words they hear are simply no longer believable.”

To compare Biden’s speech and his entire agenda with an “uncertain trumpet” is quite telling, as this analogy is derived from Paul’s statement in the Bible.

Biden Unfit for Office?

Fox News reported on September 22:

“Former Brexit Party Leader Nigel Farage [said] that some in Britain are asking if Joe Biden is fit to be in office.

“[Farage said:] ‘What a bizarre spectacle, to see two important world leaders muzzled behind the thickest face masks that could possibly ever been made. So much so it was actually quite difficult to hear anything anyone was saying. But that was the first thing that was utterly bizarre. And I think Boris Johnson and of course, you know, our culture as yours has always been, is that leaders are accountable to the press, from all sides and all opinions, who could ask questions. And I think Boris was completely stunned that the new culture in America, who was supposed to be the leaders of the free world, is that the president doesn’t take questions.

‘‘So Boris decided to sort of in an impromptu way, try and take a few questions and the White House press team didn’t like it and protested. And so we’re sort of asking ourselves a question here in the UK this morning. If Joe Biden doesn’t take questions from journalists and therefore isn’t accountable for what he’s doing as leader of America or leader of the free world, we have to ask ourselves a question. Is he actually fit and proper and competent to be doing the job? ‘”

The answer should be obvious. Judging by his record, he is clearly not fit and competent to do his job.

Greece Replaces USA

The New York Post wrote on September 25:

“Last week, Greece announced it would be sending US-made Patriot anti-missile batteries and soldiers to man them to Saudi Arabia, to replace US-manned Patriots the Biden administration withdrew in April. It was a momentous development in the rapidly changing geopolitical environment of the Middle East, and received zero coverage in the corporate media in the United States. When Greece steps up to fill the vacuum left by a US pullout, it gives you a measure of just how far the United States has retreated from the world stage over the past nine months.

“This is not the Greece of Alexander the Great, but today’s Greece. Nearly bankrupt just a few years ago, Greece has now replaced the United States as defender of the world’s largest oil producer… Biden’s decision to outwardly alienate the Saudis has real-world implications. With the US turnover of Afghanistan to the Taliban, another Qatar-ally, a pattern is beginning to emerge: This administration foolishly prefers Sunni Muslim jihadis and Iranian mullahs building nuclear weapons over traditional allies of the United States who oppose a nuclear-armed Iran…

“The dismissal of these allies could also be seen in the way Washington simply ignored the first anniversary of the groundbreaking Abraham Accords negotiated by the Trump administration and the governments of Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco last year.”

Greece replaces the USA! What a development. Greece might very well play an important role in the final configuration of a coming core Europe.

America’s Decline

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 11, 2021:

“Biden has made clear that US foreign policy should serve only US interests. US military involvement will be scaled down even more… In terms of foreign policy, there is really only one issue that still carries weight for the US, which is its power struggle with China. In Syria, the US has already left the field to Russia and it is also holding back in Libya. Even Israel is trying to become less dependent on its strongest ally by building ties with the Arab states. It is unclear how long these new alliances might hold.

“But in the meantime, many experts fear that the further the US moves away from the global game, the lower the barrier inhibiting states from carrying out preemptive strikes will become. Twenty years after the terrorist attacks, the collapsing towers of the World Trade Center symbolize the disappearance of the world’s global policeman. And they are an urgent warning that there will have to be new alliances if the emerging and widening vacuum is not to be filled by anti-democratic forces.”

Anti-democratic forces are already at work in most countries, including in the USA and many other nations which are descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah, judging for example by the authoritarian measures in regard to the coronavirus (see below).

White House Presses US Airlines to Mandate Vaccinations for Staff

Newsmax wrote on October 1:

“The White House is pressing major U.S. airlines to mandate coronavirus vaccines for employees by Dec. 8… White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeffrey Zients spoke to the chief executives of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines on Thursday to ensure they were working expeditiously to develop and enforce vaccine requirements ahead of a Dec. 8 deadline for federal contractors… Large U.S. airlines have a number of federal contracts, including the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), which was activated in August to help ferry people who have been evacuated from Afghanistan in support of the U.S. Defense Department.”

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on September 23:

“The Biden Administration is demanding that members of the US military who refuse the covid shot be DISHONORABLY discharged! The Administration is also taking aim at military members who prefer to pass on the vax because they have natural immunity from a previous infection.”

These threats and demands are appalling.

Rand Paul Exposes Xavier Becerra’s Ignorance

Life Site News reported on October 1:

“Republican Senator Rand Paul sharply criticized the Biden administration’s push for vaccination and its refusal to acknowledge natural immunity during a hearing on Thursday. ‘Mr. Becerra, are you familiar with an Israeli study that had 2.5 million patients and found that the vaccinated group was actually seven times more likely to get infected with COVID than the people who had gotten COVID naturally,’ Paul asked Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra.  Becerra, who is tasked with overseeing the public health infrastructure for the country, said he is not familiar with the study. ‘I think you might want to be if you’re going to travel the country insulting the millions of Americans, including NBA star Jonathan Isaac, who have had COVID, recovered, look at a study with 2.5 million people, and say, well, you know what, I should make the decision. Instead, you’ve called Jonathan Isaac and others, myself included, “flat earthers,”’ Paul said. Orlando Magic player Jonathan Isaac said… that he does not plan to get jabbed because he has already been infected with COVID…

“The senator asked Becerra if he had a science degree or a medical degree. Becerra does not have either background… ‘And yet you travel the country, calling people “flat earthers” who have had COVID, looked at studies of millions of people,’ Paul said, ‘and made their own personal decision that their immunity they naturally acquired is sufficient but you presume somehow to tell over 100 million Americans who survived COVID that we have no right to determine our own medical care. You alone are on high and you’ve made these decisions, a lawyer with no scientific background, no medical degree. This is an arrogance coupled with an authoritarianism that is unseemly and un-American. You, sir, are the one ignoring the science,’ Paul said. ‘Quit lording it over people, acting as if these people are deplorable and unwashed,’ he continued, adding that ‘there is no more basic medical right than deciding what we inject into our bodies.’…

“As Paul noted, Becerra’s health policy background somehow has not led him to have an understanding of the benefits of natural immunity, which has been well-documented. Professor Martin Kulldorff, an epidemiologist who teaches at Harvard University’s medical school, has said that an Israeli study about natural immunity has weakened the argument for ‘vaccine passports.’”

It is shocking that Paul has to lecture Becerra who seems to be totally ignorant about the matter of immunity.

The American Monarchy

Reason wrote on September 13:

“President Joe Biden’s national vaccine mandate sparked a lot of debate… [the] question is raised by the president’s gambit to displace the Afghanistan fiasco from the headlines: How, in the United States, can one guy just impose his preferred policies, whether they’re good, bad, or indifferent?

“… how can one person do this in a country with a Constitution that lays out the limited powers of the state, and provides for two other co-equal branches of government? It’s as if the president has become a king—and many people embrace the development, so long as they like the outcome. In fact, that’s a fair interpretation of the system under which we live, and the direction in which it’s evolved from the beginning.

“‘We elect a king for four years and give him absolute power within certain limits, which after all he can interpret for himself,’ then-Secretary of State William Seward observed of the presidency during the Civil War…

“‘Great Britain is a republic, with a hereditary president, while the United States is a monarchy with an elective king,’ the Knoxville Journal snarked in 1896 during the presidency of Grover Cleveland, who was one of the less autocratic chief executives. But the implicit and growing power of the presidency remained, even when the office was held by somebody who exercised a modicum of restraint.

“‘I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President,’ then-President Donald Trump told an enthusiastic conservative gathering in 2019…

“Unsurprisingly, Trump was accused of acting like a monarch, just as his predecessor, President Barack Obama, was charged with kingly pretensions, and so was President George W. Bush before him. And the accusations were spot on—they all acted unilaterally and built on the precedents of those who went before them…

“The answer, then, is that Biden issued a unilateral vaccine mandate because the presidency has always had monarchical tendencies and, through multiple administrations, chief executives succumbed to the temptation to exercise power…”

Very sad and shocking, but apparently true.

California to Require Covid Shots for All Schoolchildren

Newsmax wrote on October 1:

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the nation’s first coronavirus vaccination mandate for schoolchildren, a plan that will have all elementary through high school students get the shots once the vaccine gains final approval from the U.S. government for different age groups.

“The government has fully approved the COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and over but only granted an emergency authorization for anyone 12 to 15. Once federal regulators fully approve the vaccine for that group, the state will require students in seventh through 12th grades to get vaccinated in both public and private schools, Newsom’s office said.

“The state will require the COVID-19 vaccine for students in kindergarten through sixth grade only after the federal government has given final approval for anyone 5 to 11. The announcement comes as infections in most of California have dropped markedly in the last month. But Newsom has been emboldened after easily defeating a recall effort last month following a campaign where he emphasized his commitment to vaccine mandates to end the pandemic…

“The state’s vaccine mandate would take effect the semester after the federal government grants final approval. If it comes in January, then the mandate would take effect in July. Students would be granted religious and medical exemptions, but the rules for how the state would apply those exemptions have not been written yet. Any student who refuses to take the vaccine would be forced to complete an independent study course at home.”

It was predictable. Newsom wants to show how great and smart he is… and is thereby only contributing to California’s downfall…

More Vaccination Rules—No End to the Madness

Fox News wrote on October 2:

“The largest health system in Louisiana will start fining employees hundreds of dollars a month if they are married to an unvaccinated person… charging employees $200 per month, or $100 per pay period, if their spouse or partner is unvaccinated… The announcement was met with condemnation by some on social media, including the Young Americans for Liberty, a libertarian student activism organization: ‘This is a taste of what’s coming. There is no end to the madness…’

“The rollout of vaccine mandates in hospitals is spurring nurses and other healthcare workers across the country to quit their jobs or face termination over their refusal to comply with the rules… ‘We were celebrated last year,’ Indiana nurse Adara Allen told Fox News this week. ‘But a few nurses did end up leaving due to [the hospital] not accepting their medical issues or having a reaction or adverse effect to the first dose of the covid vaccine.’ Allen was told to no longer come into her hospital in Indianapolis over refusing the vaccine during her high-risk pregnancy.”

These are terrible reports about blatantly ungodly behavior, totally doing away with God-given individual liberties and freedoms. Oregon has just ordered all healthcare workers to get vaccinated against Covid.

The NSBA’s Outlandish Request

Breitbart wrote on October 3:

“The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has written a letter to President Joe Biden, requesting ‘federal law enforcement and other assistance’ to cope with angry parents concerned about their children wearing masks in school all day and learning concepts of Critical Race Theory (CRT).”

INCREDIBLE! This kind of “anger” will only increase, due to the incomprehensible measures and restrictions by the Biden Administration. New reports state that the FBI is treating parents as “domestic terrorists” who want to attend school board meetings to complain about CRT. 

Zimbabwe a Tyranny, persecuting Christians

Life Site News wrote on October 1:

“Zimbabwe has barred Christians who have not taken COVID jabs from church worship despite a High Court ruling suspending the ban.  Only 19% of the majority-Christian country has had even one COVID-19 shot…

“Christians in Zimbabwe… explicitly alluded to dictatorship and tyranny… Zimbabwe boasts a large and faithful Christian population…  COVID-19 inoculation rate, including people who have had only one dose, is a mere 19%, and so this gives heft to the local theory that this governmental action is a direct persecution of Christians.”

It was also reported that by October 15, a million workers across Victoria in Australia will need to have at least one dose of a COVID vaccine to keep working on site. They are required to receive both shots by November 26. Essential workers include farm workers and “faith leaders broadcasting services and ceremonies at places of worship, with the minimum number of people required for the broadcast to occur (no more than 5 people).” About the only workers not requiring a vaccination are consular and diplomatic staff and emergency situations where un-vaccinated workers can work during the emergency.

YouTube’s Censorship of Free Speech Continues

Life Site News wrote on September 30:

“Google-owned YouTube announced Wednesday a new policy against videos that promote vaccine ‘misinformation’… The Big Tech company boasted that it had removed 130,000 videos in just the past year for violating its ‘COVID-19 vaccine policies’… The prohibition applies to ‘content that falsely alleges that approved vaccines are dangerous and cause chronic health effects, claims that vaccines do not reduce transmission or contraction of disease, or contains misinformation on the substances contained in vaccines will be removed.’

“The censorship will also extend to ‘content that falsely says that approved vaccines cause autism, cancer or infertility, or that substances in vaccines can track those who receive them,’ YouTube said. ‘Our policies not only cover specific routine immunizations like for measles or Hepatitis B, but also apply to general statements about vaccines.’ YouTube has already brought the hammer down on… Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Dr. Joseph Mercola and Dr. Sheri Tenpenny…

“Mercola responded to the ban in a statement on his website. ‘ The world is becoming increasingly aware of the rampant corruption in the media and are rising up against tyrannical governments and the pharmaceutical industry that are coordinating this assault on our freedom and civil rights,’ Dr. Mercola wrote. ‘Anyone who asks questions or challenges the hard sell is immediately censored on social media.’ ‘Independent media platforms that defend freedom of speech and the rights of Americans to speak out against the global tyranny will defeat the censorship extremists,’ he said…

“Daily Wire host Michael Knowles announced on his show today that YouTube removed his entire episode from Wednesday because he discussed NBA players who shared why they did not want to get jabbed…  He said that he was accused of violating the policy against posting information that claims COVID vaccines are not effective in stopping transmission.  But as Knowles pointed out, Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control has said this before… This is still the position of the CDC…

A liberal law professor [George Washington University law Professor Jonathan Turley] analyzed the situation and said that YouTube is being pushed to censor content that the federal government cannot legally silence on its own… ‘YouTube continued the expansion of corporate censorship on the Internet with the encouragement of leading Democratic leaders,’’ [he wrote]…. ‘This is the face of censorship. As demanded, the companies are now sanitizing their sites to remove opposing views on these subjects,’ Turley argued. ‘Rather than offer a free forum for the full debate on such issues, anti-free speech advocates have again prevailed in silencing those with opposing views.’”

YouTube, Google, Facebook and Twitter, among others, have become an authoritarian government within the USA, with the support, approval and cooperation of the Biden Administration.

Russia Retaliates Against YouTube

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 29:

“Russia on Wednesday threatened to block Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube.

“The development comes just a day after YouTube deleted state-backed broadcaster Russia Today’s (RT) German language channels.  YouTube said RT had violated its COVID misinformation policy, but the move has not been well received at the Kremlin… Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the removal of RT from YouTube as ‘unprecedented information aggression’ in a statement. The ministry is now considering ‘a proposal to develop and take retaliatory measures against the YouTube hosting service and the German media.’”

No surprise here.

More Power to the IRS!

The Heritage Foundation wrote on October 2:

“President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats are trying to force financial institutions to report their customers’ account balances to the Internal Revenue Service, thereby invading your privacy and putting more of your financial data at risk. It’s part of a provision in the $3.5 trillion spending bill that should raise the ire of all Americans. Under this requirement, the Internal Revenue Service—an already scandal-ridden and historically politicized government agency—could once again be weaponized against political opponents while leaving middle-class Americans vulnerable to having more of their financial information hacked or leaked.

“This is because the Biden administration’s proposal would require financial institutions to report all transactions from accounts holding more than $600. It is couched as an effort to catch tax evaders and pay for the $3.5 trillion spending package. After sparking outrage among both consumer and financial institutions, House Democrats were sent back to the drawing board. Instead of realizing that the policy itself massively violates Americans’ privacy, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., still considers it a financial issue and said that Democrats may raise the threshold from $600 to $10,000.

“Regardless of what the Democrats ultimately agree to, this provision raises concerns over the return of an egregiously politicized Internal Revenue Service. The federal government’s tax-collecting agency has had a history of attacking groups and individuals who hold particular political beliefs.”

One has to wonder as to what “brain-storming” dangerous ideas evolve from some political heads.

The Next Pandemic in Waiting?

The Sun wrote on September 29:

“HORRIFIC images have emerged showing baby monkeys chained up by their NECKS in a wet market in Indonesia. The caged baby primates are just one of many animals to be captured on camera in the region amid fears that the markets continued existence could spark the next global pandemic after Covid…

“Professor Malcolm Bennett, from the University of Nottingham, explained deadly pathogens could spread to humans through infected animals at the chaotic markets… ‘Every single animal at a wet market is likely to have an infection… It is going to happen again,’ he concluded.

“Traditionally, wet markets sell fresh produce and live animals, such as fish and exotic animals, which are butchered in the open air… they are poorly regulated and, given that animals are usually caged in public areas and on pavements, it’s a breeding ground where faeces and blood can contaminate people…”

Do people ever learn?

Catastrophic California Oil Spill

Newsmax wrote on October 4:

“A large oil spill off the southern California coast left fish dead, birds mired in petroleum and wetlands contaminated, in what local officials called an environmental catastrophe… An estimated 126,000 gallons, or 3,000 barrels, had spread into an oil slick covering about 13 square miles of the Pacific Ocean…

“The spill was caused by a breach connected to the Elly oil rig and stretched from the Huntington Beach Pier down to Newport Beach, an area popular with surfers and sunbathers. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife ordered a fishery closure for coastal areas affected by the spill.”

As if God is responding to California’s [modern Sodom’s] terrible politics…  Note the next article as well.

Drought in the US Southwest Worst in Recorded History

Life Science wrote no September 25:

“The ongoing drought in the U.S. Southwest is the worst drought the region has experienced since record keeping began in 1895… The 20 months from January 2020 through August 2021 saw the lowest total precipitation and the third-highest daily average temperatures ever recorded in the Southwest (which encompasses Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah), resulting in an ‘unyielding, unprecedented and costly’ crisis…

“Given fall rainfall predictions, the drought is likely to last well into 2022… and drought could last considerably longer if low regional precipitation continues…  the drought will continue to take a tremendous toll on the Southwest’s more than 60 million residents, and the countless millions of others who depend on goods and services from the region… ‘Economic losses associated with the drought for 2020 alone are approximately between $515 million and $1.3 billion, not including losses from associated wildfires’… Add in wildfires, and the costs of this crisis rise to between $11.4 and $23 billion — for six states, for one year.”

Iran’s Armies Outside the Country’s Borders

Israel 365 wrote on October 1:

“The head of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiyah Central Headquarters said in a recent interview that Iran had created six armies outside the country’s borders, in a ‘corridor’ stretching from Iran all the way to the Mediterranean Sea… Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid said that these armies, among them Hamas and Hezbollah, deterred the enemies of the Islamic Republic, in particular the United States and Israel…

“One of these armies is in Lebanon, said Rashid, and is called Hezbollah. ‘Another army is in Palestine, and it is called Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. One army is in Syria. Another army is in Iraq, and is called the PMU [Popular Mobilization Units], and another army is in Yemen, and is called Ansar Allah [the Houthis],’ he added.”

And it is obvious that Iran will use those armies in their fight against Israel.

The European Army

Breitbart wrote on September 23:

“President Emmanuel Macron is willing to trade control of France’s permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council to Brussels in exchange for European Union member states backing his plan to forge an EU Army, [Sandro Gozi, former Italian Europe minister, current transnational MEP for Macron’s party in Brussel and] an ally of the French leader has said. Macron, who at the start of his presidency declared that he wished to govern like the Roman God Jupiter, is set to become the European Union’s most influential leader with Chancellor Angela Merkel set to step down after Sunday’s elections in Germany. Part of this Jupitarian strategy will be to push for the creation of a centrally controlled European Army with France at the helm in the wake of President Biden’s bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan and the AUKUS defence pact signed between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia…

“France is currently the only EU member state to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council after the UK left the bloc at the beginning of this year… The indication of a potential trade of the UN seat for a France-led EU Army comes as the French are set to take control of the rotating EU presidency on January 1st. President Macron is set to lead a joint summit on European defence alongside the EU Council president and close Macron ally Charles Michel during the six-month period in which France controls the presidency…

“Interestingly, Germany previously called on France to cede control of its UN seat so the EU could speak with ‘one voice’ on the world stage but France refused. The call came from then-German finance minister Olaf Scholz, who is currently the frontrunner to replace Angela Merkel as chancellor.”

Express wrote on September 26:

“In a tweet shared this morning, the French President reminded his followers of his pledges, four years ago, for a stronger EU. Sharing his government’s manifesto plan for more integration in the Brussels bloc, he wrote: ‘An initiative for a sovereign, united and democratic Europe. This is what we launched at the Sorbonne four years ago… The manifesto called for a ‘real European sovereignty’ alongside a project for a united defence and military power for the bloc.

“His dream for a European defence strategy has been accelerated by a recent deal signed between the UK, the US and Australia, which left France short of a lucrative contract for the production of submarines. Paris described the deal as a ‘stab in the back’ after it led to Canberra pulling out of a £30 billion agreement for France to supply conventionally powered diesel-electric vessels…”

Express wrote on September 21:

“HOURS before Germany publicly backed Emmanuel Macron over the diplomatic row with Australia, the US and the UK, German and Australian generals signed a military alliance in Berlin… ”

The Morning Star wrote on September 28:

“Emmanuel Macron raised the prospect of a European army today as he signed a new defence deal with Greece worth about £2.5 billion. Speaking after Athens formalised an agreement to buy French frigates, Mr Macron said that efforts to increase European military autonomy were even more vital after the scrapping of his government’s submarine deal with Australia. ‘The Europeans must stop being naive,’ he said. ‘When we are under pressure from powers, which at times harden [their stance], we need to react and show that we have the power and capacity to defend ourselves. Not escalating things, but protecting ourselves.’… France will host a European defence summit next year that is likely to be dominated by discussions of a so-called EU army.”

Charles Michael, the European Council President, said at the annual Charlemagne Prize event, which celebrates European Unity: “Stronger allies make stronger alliances. 2022 therefore will be the year of European defence.”

EU Must Have Political Will to Fight

The Guardian wrote on September 15:

“The EU must learn the lessons of the abrupt end of the US-led mission in Afghanistan and acquire the ‘political will’ to build up its own military force to deploy to future crises, the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, has said. In her annual state of the union speech in the European parliament in Strasbourg, Von der Leyen, a former German defence minister, said the withdrawal of the US-led mission in Afghanistan, and the subsequent collapse of President Ashraf Ghani’s administration, raised troubling questions… ‘You can have the most advanced forces in the world – but if you are never prepared to use them – of what use are they?’ she said. ‘What has held us back until now is not just a shortfall of capacity – it is the lack of political will. And if we develop this political will, there is a lot that we can do at EU level.’…

“Von der Leyen said she was working with the Nato general secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, on issuing a ‘new declaration’ on EU-Nato relations by the end of the year. Six EU member states are not in the military alliance – Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Malta and Sweden. Von der Leyen said there would be crises where the EU’s own military force should operate independently from both the UN and Nato… ‘It is time for Europe to step up to the next level,’ Von der Leyen said.

“Germany’s current defence minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, said: ‘Ursula Von der Leyen is right […] Real EU defence depends on the political will of member states. That’s why Germany and France must lead.’”

Breitbart added on September 16:

“The speech from the EU President comes amid a growing consensus in Brussels for a fully-fledged EU Army in the wake of Afghanistan.”

In Germany’s Election, the Fate of the EU Is at Stake

The Guardian wrote on September 15:

“The [EU] is like a giant slot machine. The more pineapples, or oranges, line up on the screen, the better the results. The German election will account for about four fruits in a row; France’s presidential election next spring will spin another three. Italy and Spain contribute perhaps two each, with the rest being generated by other European countries and the European institutions.

“Whatever the EU’s own treaties say, in practice the alignment of national governments remains the key to any major initiative it takes. My friends in Brussels constantly talk about ‘the Germans’ pushing this or ‘the French’ pushing that…

“In the capital of Germany, Europe’s central power, the talk is all about the different possible coalitions that might emerge from what will probably be months of talks between parties following the federal election on 26 September…

“Armin Laschet, the Christian Democrat candidate for chancellor, is a classic West German West European, with a statue of Charlemagne in his office. (His brother claims the family is actually descended from Charlemagne.) There is no doubting his personal European commitment…

“The government that emerges in Berlin is the first, but only the first, test of whether the European model of change through democratic consensus can deliver the goods. If democracy does not deliver, then young Europeans will look for alternative models… 53% of young Europeans said they think authoritarian states are better equipped than democracies to tackle global heating. Europe’s challenge is to prove the opposite – and not just for the climate crisis.”

Germany’s Election

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 27:

“Around 51% of center-right Christian Democrat (CDU) voters think that party leader Armin Laschet should step down… 70% of those taking part in the survey were in favor of him resigning from his party post… Many viewed Armin Laschet as the likely successor chancellor to Angela Merkel after being chosen as leader of the CDU in April this year. But a series of blunders since taking over the top position saw his party take a tumble in the ratings. His party came second in Sunday’s general election, with 24.1%. This was over 8% down on the previous election and their worst result since World War II…

“Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Bundestag seat has gone to an SPD candidate for the first time in over three decades… The Greens won a smattering of seats in the Bundestag across the country, and the AfD were the most popular party in the eastern states of Saxony and Thuringia after the CDU slumped there.

“Two transgender women… from the Green Party are set to join the German parliament…

“Markus Söder from the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of Laschet’s Christian Democrats (CDU), discussed the failures of the conservative union in Sunday’s election. ‘Yesterday’s result is disappointing for the whole Union, and yes it was a defeat, that’s true for the CDU and it’s true for the CSU,’ the state premier for Bavaria said…

“With the German vote extremely fractured, there could be weeks or even months of messy coalition negotiations ahead. After the last federal election in 2017, it took six months to form a government after the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) walked out of talks with the CDU and the Green Party after a month. This resulted in a second four years of the so-called ‘grand coalition’ of the CDU and SPD. While another grand coalition of the two biggest parties is mathematically possible, both parties have appeared unenthusiastic about the prospect. The FDP and the Greens have signaled that they see themselves at kingmakers in a possible future government, but would need to hear what the CDU and SPD are offering first…”

Many feel that the defeat of Merkel’s CDU has much to do with the government’s restrictive corona policy. However, according to Focus, dated October 1,  CDU’s man of the hour and of the future could be Health Minister Jens Spahn. The magazine wrote: “In the chaos of the union, a man who has already been written off suddenly becomes a figure of the future… Spahn dares to do everything – the CDU chairmanship, the chancellorship, whatever. And he possesses the nefariousness without which it obviously seems to be impossible [to be successful] in this political death zone.”

Scholz the Likely Winner in Germany’s Election

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 27:

“Often likened to a robot, [Olaf Scholz] has never really been popular within his own party. But now he might head the next German government… Who will govern Germany will only become clear after the coalition negotiations that will unfold in the coming weeks and months. Despite the SPD’s lead in the polls, the conservative CDU/CSU could still form the government if they forge an alliance with the Greens and neoliberal FDP…

“Scholz has been the finance minister in Merkel’s Cabinet since 2018 and is also the vice chancellor in the current governing coalition consisting of the CDU/CSU and SPD…  Under his leadership, Germany would work for a ‘strong, sovereign Europe’ that speaks ‘with one voice,’ ‘because otherwise, we won’t play a role,’ he said…  Charisma is certainly something Scholz lacks. He doesn’t know how to express himself or show emotion. Even in moments of great joy, he shows all the restraint of a British butler….

“Scholz underwent a remarkable political transformation. As deputy chairman of the SPD youth organization Jusos, he was still a radical socialist in the 1980s, promoting ‘the overcoming of the capitalist economy.’”

Newsweek wrote on September 28:

“A Germany under Olaf Scholz, the man most likely to succeed Angela Merkel as the country’s chancellor, might have to choose between supporting China or the United States as tensions rise between the two global superpowers…”

At the same time, reports have emerged wondering whether Austria’s Sebastian Kurz’s political days are numbered, due to a criminal investigation and charges filed by criminal prosecutors against him and other associates for some type of alleged tax violations (which Kurz strongly denies).

Is Russia Blackmailing Europe?

Reuters wrote on October 1:

“European gas prices surged to all-time highs on Friday as Russia kept a tight lid on supply, signalling further price pressures on European consumers heading into the winter heating season.

“Russian gas supplies via the Yamal-Europe pipeline fell on Friday by almost 77% from Thursday, according to data from grid operator Gascade, as Kremlin-controlled Gazprom booked only a third of its available capacity for October.”

According to Bild Online, Russia is engaged in blackmailing Europe, trying to force them to begin to transport gas via the new Nordstream pipeline.  

Cooperation Agreement between Germany and PA

Israel 365 wrote on September 19:

“Germany and the Palestinian Authority have signed a 100 million euro ($117 million) cooperation agreement that will see German investment in areas under P.A. control. The donation will finance ‘sustainable economic development in [Palestine] over the next two years,’ according to P.A. Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh. ‘We hope our friends in Germany, the European Union and the international community will help put pressure on Israel to allow elections to be held in all the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem,’ he added.

“Germany’s representative to Ramallah Oliver Owcza praised the bilateral relations between his country and the Palestinians, reiterating German support for a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Chinese Provocation against Taiwan

Newsmax wrote on October 4:

“Taiwan reported the largest ever incursion by China’s air force into its air defense zone on Monday at 52 aircraft, saying the Taiwanese air force had to scramble for the fourth straight day to warn off the intruders, as tensions spiraled.

“Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China’s air force near the democratically governed island… But since Friday, when China marked its national day, the country has embarked upon a massive ramping up of its missions, with almost 150 aircraft flying into the defense zone over the space of four days…

“Taiwanese fighter jets scrambled to warn away the Chinese planes, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them… The United States on Sunday urged China to stop its ‘provocative’ military activities near Taiwan, while the island’s government has also condemned Beijing.”

As if China cared what the USA does or says these days.

Abortionists Attack Heartbeat Laws

Life News wrote on September 27:

“Mainstream news outlets are quoting abortionists and pro-abortion doctors who claim that an unborn baby’s heartbeat is not really a heartbeat yet at six weeks of pregnancy. Instead, it’s ‘cardiac activity,’ ‘electrical pulsing,’ ‘flickering’ and other terms… mainstream news outlets… have joined in on the misinformation campaign, but it is not difficult for Americans to find out the truth. From textbooks and medical experts to baby websites and even Planned Parenthood, the basic scientific facts are revealed: The heart is one of the first organs to develop in the human body and it begins beating at the earliest stage of life… an unborn baby’s heart begins to beat as early as 22 days gestation.

“…polls show Americans support heartbeat laws that prohibit abortions once an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detectable, about six weeks of pregnancy… The Texas heartbeat law went into effect Sept. 1. If allowed to remain in effect, the law potentially could save tens of thousands of unborn babies from abortion every year.”

A judge has now stopped the Texas law from being enforced. Human life begins with conception. To kill the unborn through abortion is murder.

Pope: Abortion Is “Murder,” But US Bishops Should Not Be Political

Newsmax wrote on September 15:

“Pope Francis said on Wednesday that abortion is ‘murder,’ even soon after conception, but appeared to criticize some U.S. Catholic bishops for dealing with U.S. President Joe Biden’s pro-choice position in a political rather than pastoral way…

“Church law says a Catholic who procures an abortion automatically excommunicates themselves from the Church. But there is no clear policy on Catholic politicians who say they have no choice as elected officials to support abortion rights even if they are personally opposed. This has led to heated debates in the U.S. Church.”

What a remarkable example of hypocrisy!

Arizona Senate Report—Not as the Mass Media Portrays It

Breitbart wrote on September 25:

“The report of the Maricopa County Forensic Election Audit of the 2020 election released at a public hearing of the Arizona State Senate chaired by Senate President Karen Fann (R-1) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Warren Petersen (R-12) on Friday identified a number of significant election irregularities discovered during the audit… Joe Biden was certified as the winner of Arizona’s 11 Electoral College votes over former President Donald Trump by Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) and Gov. Doug Ducey (R-AZ) on November 30, 2020 by a margin of 10,475 votes According to those certified results, Biden received 1,672,143 votes in the state, while Trump received 1,661,686 votes…

“Establishment media outlets have celebrated the fact that the Maricopa County Forensic Audit hand count showed that Biden’s margin over Trump was 360 votes greater than the Maricopa County Official Canvass results. (Biden gained 99 votes, while Trump lost 261 votes in the audit hand count). They have claimed these results confirm Biden ‘won’ Arizona.

“The results of the audit, however, actually raise more doubts about the legitimacy of more than 49,000 votes included in the final counts of both the forensic audit and the Maricopa County Official Canvass results, a number that is more than four times greater than Biden’s 10,457 vote certified margin of victory. Of these more than 2 million votes counted, the report stated the results of the audit found that there were questions about 49,718 of these votes that had a critical, high, or medium ‘potential impact the finding may have had on the election.’

“Judiciary Chairman Petersen identified eight key points at the close of the hearing: The county’s obstructionism must be addressed. Their willingness to spend resources to block this audit; The numbers don’t reconcile. We should be able to pull up these election results and be able to come up with a reconciliation so everything balance; It appears they broke the law with duplicate ballots; Churning of logs. we need to find out why that happened. Who did it; Chain of custody; Failure to preserve data files; Cybersecurity weaknesses; and, The envelopes with blank signatures. We have a lot of questions there that need to be answered.”

It is amazing how the mass media perverts the facts to fit into their agenda.

Trump: Only Bad Call from a Doctor

Newsmax wrote on September 25:

“Former President Donald Trump said Friday that ‘a bad call from a doctor’ would be one of the only reasons he would not seek the Oval Office in 2024.

“When asked what would prevent him from running again during an interview Friday on America’s Voice News program ‘The Water Cooler,’ Trump said he could think of only one thing. ‘I guess a bad call from a doctor or something,’ [Trump said.] ‘Things happen through God, they happen. But I feel so good, and I hate what’s happening to our country.’”

This call may never come. Hence…

Noah’s Ark Found?

The Sun wrote on September 24:

“A GIANT shape claimed to match the Biblical description of Noah’s Ark has been found by researchers using 3D scans. Biblical archaeologists used ground penetrating radar to study the boat-like formation on Mount Tendürek which has long been rumoured to be the location of the legendary vessel from the Book of Genesis.

“US and Turkish investigators have boasted the initial scans are promising and suggest a manmade object heading beneath the mountain – and they remain hopeful it may be the Ark. Creationists have long claimed that Noah’s legendary ship is real and was buried beneath the rocky spot, known as the Durupınar, in the east of Turkey…

“In the Book of Genesis, the mountains of Ararat in what is now eastern Turkey is the region in which Noah’s Ark comes to rest after the Great Flood – which is close to Mount Tendürek. The site was originally discovered in 1959 by Turkish army captain Ilhan Durupinar, who noticed the boat formation in aerial photographs of the area by the military.”

It has been speculated and claimed for a long time that Noah’s Ark—or at least parts of it—is located at the very spot as described above.

Mount Sinai Located?

The Sun wrote on October 1:

“BIBLICAL archaeologists have claimed to have located the holy mountain where the Bible says God gave Moses two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. They believe features and archaeological remains on the site in Saudi Arabia directly line up with the passage in the holy tome, some of which are fenced off as protected areas by the Saudi theocratic regime.

“… A mountain range in Egypt was for hundreds of years thought to be the site of the holy mountain… Ryan Mauro, who is a Middle East expert, told the Sun: ‘One of the main reasons certain scholars claim that the Exodus is a myth is because little to no evidence for what the Bible records has been found at the traditional Mount Sinai in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. But what if these scholars have actually been looking in the wrong spot? Move over into the Arabian peninsula and you find incredibly compelling evidence matching the Biblical account.’ The researchers then went on to identify Jabal Maqla, a peak within the Jabal al-Lawz mountain range, as Mount Sinai.

“The Bible said God descended on Mount Sinai as a fire. And they claim the mountain, with its clearly blackened peaks, suggests this is the site…

“Chapter 32 of Exodus tells of the Golden Calf incident, where the Israelites make a golden calf, which was an Egyptian god, and worship it while Moses is on Mount Sinai. When Moses comes back down the mountain, the golden calf worshippers are killed for their idolatry. Mr Mauro said: ‘Close to the mountain, we have this site covered with depictions of people worshipping bulls and cows. And what’s really significant is that these petroglyphs are isolated to this area. It’s not like they’re carved all over the mountain.’”

Interesting ideas and findings.

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.

For someone who is called by God into His true Church, the company that he or she keeps is of paramount importance.   When someone responds to God’s calling, they will repent, be baptised and receive God’s Holy Spirit as they start on their onward journey towards the eternal Kingdom of God (compare Acts 2:38).   Anything that is a stumbling block or hindrance to their progress is to be resisted with all of their might, and with help from God, that can be achieved.

We can’t choose our family but we can choose our friends.   As one old saying goes, “friends are the family you choose.”

The American entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn said that “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Bearing this in mind, we should think about the people with whom we spend time, particularly bearing in mind the great calling that God has given us.

There will be those who may have no interest in our beliefs but on the face of it may seem to be good friends.  In such a case, we have to determine whether they will be a help or hindrance to our Christian Way of Life.

The Bible is clear about the importance of keeping good company.   We should all know about peer pressure.   Wikipedia defines this as follows: “Peer pressure is the direct influence on people by peers, or the effect on an individual who is encouraged and wants to follow their peers by changing their attitudes, values or behaviors to conform to those of the influencing group or individual.”  We know that younger people are much more prone to such pressure, usually wishing to be one of the crowd and not stand out as someone who is different, but older people can also be affected if they are not properly grounded.

It is vital that those people we spend time with are not those who want to influence our actions contrary to our beliefs.   Some may seem to be good friends, but at what cost?   We have to be alive and alert to the company we keep.   Peer pressure can be felt by anyone, and so we shouldn’t just think that this is just for other people to consider.

If we’re not careful, peer pressure can drag us into the ways of this world.   We are called to stand out from the evil ways of society which are in opposition to the right Ways of God.

The Bible has much to say about this, as we read in Proverbs 13:20-21: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.  Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.”

The Book of Proverbs is packed full of advice to those who have ears to hear, and regarding the company we keep, we read the following in Proverbs 14:6-7: “A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands. Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.”

We also read: “Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them; For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking” (Proverbs 24:1-2).

We are not part of this world or its ways, as Romans 12:2 reveals: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We often use 2 Corinthians 6:14 in the context of marriage or business.  However, it is also a verse with much wisdom, showing us what our behaviour must be: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”

“The Apostle Paul used this powerful word picture to impress in the minds of the Corinthians how they should deal with people outside the church. The city of Corinth was a powerhouse of immorality. It was riddled with different temples for gods and goddesses. Temple prostitution was pervasive and there was a considerable number of people in [Corinth] who were sexually immoral.   For the citizens, sexual looseness wasn’t condemned, but rather tolerated and at times, even promoted” (https://becomingchristians.com).

In other words, it was pretty much like our current promiscuous, permissive, liberal and indulgent society.

We have to beware of those who may like to say that they are our friends but are not, as evidenced by their conduct.  “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends” (Proverbs 16:28) and “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips” (Proverbs 20:19).

In Acts 20:28-30, we read the exhortation of Paul to the elders of the Church: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”   Now, while this is addressed to the ministry, the same principles apply to everyone in the Church.   Wolves in sheep’s clothing may even pretend to be our friends.

Deception can be everywhere, as Satan seeks to throw us off track, and being aware of the company we keep is vital.  1 Corinthians 15:33 contains a short but vital piece of advice: “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’”

There is an interesting passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13:

“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.  Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.  But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.  For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?  But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ‘put away from yourselves the evil person.’”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges observes:

“The Apostle would not have his converts flee from the world, as so many did in later ages, but remain in it and leaven it. This course must bring them into contact with many ungodly men, whose evil example they must not follow, but whom they cannot altogether avoid, unless they would retire altogether from the active business of life. But if any member of the Church bring dishonour on the Christian name by such sins as those which are named, the Christian is bound to shew his sense of such flagrant inconsistency and hypocrisy, by refusing even to sit down to a meal with him. It is not difficult to follow the spirit of such an exhortation now, though it may be impossible to observe its letter. We cannot help meeting men of depraved morals and irreligious lives in business or in general society; we can, nay we must, refrain from making such persons our associates and intimates.”

There are Scriptures that show that mixing with the wrong people is something that we must avoid.   Being part of an ungodly crowd must not be the guideline for us, even if they are of those whom we consider to be friends. You cannot hang out with negative people and expect to live a positive life.   It is also better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction!

Again, Scripture points the way ahead for us.  We read in Exodus 23:2: “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.”

Of course, there will always be those who know better than the One who created us all; that is just the arrogance of man.  However, Proverbs 14:12 (also Proverbs 16:25) answers man’s audacity: “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

Wrong involvement with the world and its ways are addressed in James 4:4: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Because we are not of this world, we see how the world’s reaction to our conduct is outlined in John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Staying away from company that can distract us from our life-long career of following the ways of God is imperative.   Even allowing some small departures from the path we have been called to follow could ultimately be catastrophic for our future.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

We were notified this week that Eve McNair has died. Eve, a long time Church of God member and wife of late Evangelist, Raymond McNair, had been living in the Southern California area.

“America’s Downfall and Europe’s Rise,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Most recent events show the ongoing decline and downfall of the USA with astonishing speed, while at the same time, Europe is preparing to rise and fill the vacuum. This program shows what is truly happening and sheds light on the facts which have been ignored or overlooked in far too many instances.

“Amerikas Niedergang und Europas Aufstieg,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German language program covers the same topic as described above.

“Jerusalems Untergang,” is the title of this coming Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Jerusalem’s Downfall.”

PLEASE NOTE: All of our recent sermons and sermonettes have begun to be posted following the recent fall Holy Days. These postings may be found at www.eternalgod.org and https://www.ewigengottes.de/

“Settling for Mediocrity,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Where in our lives do we just settle for whatever is easiest? Where do we need to look for change? Does the Bible say anything about just doing the least to get by?

“The Fall of Jerusalem,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The book of Lamentations describes in vivid and shocking detail the fall of ancient and modern Jerusalem and shows why it did and will happen. Further, Jeremiah’s prophecy and his alarming warnings are by no means limited to the city of Jerusalem.

On September 11, 2021, Norbert Link will present, ”Comments on News and Prophecy, September 11, 2021,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “Accountability As a Christian.”

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.

September 16, 2021 is the Day of Atonement.

Live services will be broadcast at 2:00 pm Pacific Time.

Michael Link will present the Offertory, and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Satan’s Time is Almost Over.”

We will not have live services on September 18, 2021; However, we will have live services during the Feast of Tabernacles and on the Last Great Day.

This will be the last Update before the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day. Our next Update will be published on October 7, 2021.

I recall my dad telling me as a young child that there had actually been a day when the BBC announced that there was no news and played music instead.

Is no news, fake news?

In this case, absolutely not! In April 2017 on the BBC News website, there was this interesting article:

“It’s getting harder to remember what a slow news day looked like. But 87 years ago, on 18 April 1930, the BBC’s news announcer had nothing to communicate. ‘There is no news,’ was the script of the 20:45 news bulletin, before piano music was played for the rest of the 15-minute segment. The wireless service then returned to broadcasting from the Queen’s Hall in Langham Place, London, where the Wagner opera Parsifal was being performed.”

I had forgotten all about this incredible bit of information that my dad had passed on to me, and although I never doubted his word, I was interested to see that this was part of a question that was asked on a television quiz show. When it came up, I knew the answer and all of the four contestants had no idea at all about this.

Can you imagine that ever happening today?

We need to watch the news because we are told about the importance of watching: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). However, that does not mean that we have to be “glued” to the television screen or mobile phone every minute of every day.

Nearly all of the news today is bad, with endless rounds of information and “news” about the Covid pandemic, wars, murders, sexual atrocities, attacks on liberties and Christianity, and any number of other works of the flesh (compare Galatians 5:19-21). There are occasional bright spots, but these are few and far between.

A few years ago, the Church of the Eternal God published a mock booklet or newspaper entitled, “The Millennial Times,” and the time setting was about 20 years into the millennial rule of Christ and had such uplifting and positive articles as: A World at Peace, A New Language, Happiness All Round, Family Unit Secure, Honest Businesses With No More Deceitful Practices, Vicious Animals Turn Tame, Animal Cruelty Now a Thing of the Past, and many more.

Now, that we have so many 24-hour rolling news programmes, it seems impossible that the 18th April 1930 event about “no news” will ever be repeated. The news will continue to be a deluge of problems that man has created himself in most cases, and for which there are no human solutions.

The news, just over the horizon when Jesus Christ rules over all the earth, will be positive and uplifting during His righteous rule. The world at large knows nothing about this sole solution to the problems that beset humanity at this time, but that will change when the news will be really good, and it is up to the true Church of God at this time to get the message out to this effect in anticipation of that wonderful future.

In just over a week’s time, we will be celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles which will reflect the changes from “mostly bad news” to “very good news,” and 1,000 years of it, followed by eternity. Now that really is what the people of God should all be looking forward to!

by Norbert Link

We begin with the tragic events on September 11, 2001, and continue with President Biden’s disputed claim that he is a devout Catholic, given his disagreements and shifting positions pertaining to the abortion issue and the beginning of human life; report on Pope Francis’ statements regarding the Ten Commandments; and continue with comments about homosexuality in Germany and the Protestant Church’s blatantly false interpretation of the Bible. In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “How Christian are Our Christian Leaders?”

We speak on the precarious political situation in Germany and on Christian pastors’ objections to planned Corona passports in Australia; publish reports claiming that Australia has become a non-democratic police state; the ongoing push for Covid-19 vaccinations; rare medical exemptions; troublesome reports about Dr. Fauci and the unjustified accusations against the unvaccinated; and the frightening sad claim that “parental rights” come only second to governmental authority and dictatorship.

We speak on the man-made chaos at a London airport; the war of words between the USA and the UK; and BBC’s unflattering reporting on Biden. We also point out that the Biden Administration does not understand the Muslim world and is therefore doomed to making more false decisions; and we speak on conflicting reports pertaining to the Taliban and the State Department as to the failure to allow Americans to leave Afghanistan.

We address the opposition of many Americans to government surveillance and conclude with articles on warning fatigue and America’s “punishing drought.”

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

September 11, 2001—The Day That Changed Our World

Newsmax wrote on September 6, 2021:

“It was America’s worst nightmare.

“Four back-to-back acts of terror on a cloudless, late summer morning that forever changed our nation — and the world. The way we traveled, the way we entered buildings, the way we raised our kids, the way we looked at others had all changed. And it’s hard to believe that Sept. 11, 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of that horrific day.

“Every generation has its watershed moment. In 1929, the stock market collapsed. In 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked. In 1963, JFK was assassinated…

“But none of these events can compare with the unfathomable evil that unfolded 20 years ago.

“In carefully choreographed attacks, al-Qaida terrorists commandeered two passenger jets and crashed them into the Twin Towers in New York City, seized a third plane that slammed into the Pentagon, and crashed a fourth that was likely intended to destroy the U.S. Capitol. In just 77 minutes, nearly 3,000 perished on American soil.

“… The U.S. declared war with Afghanistan for allowing Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida to plot the attack from its territory… The months-long effort to find victims buried in the debris of the World Trade Center ushered in new, sophisticated ways of searching for victims at other disaster sites… Still, despite great advances in forensic science, the remains of more than 1,000 victims of 9/11 are still unidentified today.”

A terrible tragedy. Will it happen again?

Biden’s Shifting Uncatholic Pro-Abortion Stance

Newsmax wrote on September 3:

“President Joe Biden on Friday continued to slam the new Texas abortion law that this week was allowed to stand by the U.S. Supreme Court, saying he doesn’t agree with the Catholic teaching that life begins at conception.

“The position looks to be a striking shift from the one he espoused some six years ago… Biden — the second Catholic president in the nation’s history — in 2008 and 2015 spoke about the moment life starts, saying he thought it was at conception….”

The Catholic Church teaches of course, and quite rightly so, that life begins at conception.

Breitbart wrote on September 3:

“The White House continues struggling with President Joe Biden’s support for abortion, even though he claims to be a practicing Catholic… The White House either repeats Biden is a practicing Catholic or repeats he is a supporter of abortion rights.”

Biden and the White House shift positions and change “convictions” whenever they think that this suits their purposes at the moment.

Biden Not a Devout Catholic

Newsmax wrote on September 5:

“Biden has long faced criticism from conservative Catholics and Republicans on the issue of abortion. Last year, there was a call to restrict him from receiving Holy Communion, and in June, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops weighed denying pro-choice politicians from receiving communion. That issue will be revisited in November by the conference…

“Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City [called] on the president [in February] ‘to stop defining himself as a devout Catholic’ and ‘acknowledge that his view on abortion is contrary to Catholic moral teaching,’ Politico reported…

“Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, said perception is reality with Biden’s positioning himself as a devote Catholic and a staunch pro-choice defender at politics’ highest level. ‘The implication is that he’s being phony,’ Stowe told Politico… ‘when he travels with a rosary in his pocket or goes out of his way to attend mass every Sunday…’”

Viewing Biden’s position and that of the Catholic Church, it is obvious that Biden is not a “devout” Catholic. But this is true for most Catholics. And normally, the Catholic Church is quite content with welcoming anyone into their fold, as long as they describe themselves as Catholic—no matter as to what they really believe and how they live. That is why paganism, superstition and sorcery are rampant in Mexico and many South American and African “Catholic” countries.

Limited Access to Abortion Medication in South Dakota

The Associated Press reported on September 7:

 “South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Tuesday issued an executive order to restrict access to abortion medication and make it clear that medicine-induced abortions fall within state law requiring an in-person consultation with a physician…

 “Noem directed the state Department of Health to create rules that abortion-inducing drugs can only be prescribed or dispensed by a state-licensed physician after an in-person examination. South Dakota law already places that requirement on doctors, but the Republican governor’s order was made in anticipation that the Food and Drug Administration later this year will allow abortion medications to be dispensed through the mail or virtual pharmacies.”

Pope: The Ten Commandments Have Expired

Israel Today wrote on September 5:

“When the Pope said in a recent sermon that ‘the Torah cannot give life,’ the rabbis would not let it go… the rabbis were livid when they learned that Pope Francis sermonized that ‘Christianity replaces the Torah which cannot give life’ and ‘the commandments have expired and void of meaning.’…

“The battle between ‘works and faith’ has been raging since the Apostle Paul penned his letters, and James, the brother of Jesus, took an uncompromising stand on the essential place of commandments as opposed to just faith. According to James, it is faith that is dead without works. For a pope to conclude that keeping God’s commandments in the Torah is passe, would be like the Chief Rabbi saying faith and grace are a waste.

“The lack of appreciation the Pope displayed for the world of Judaism into which Paul, James and the Lord Yeshua were born and raised, signaled a regression back to the dark ages in Christian-Jewish relations, and the rabbis were having none of it.”

Subsequently, Francis flip-flopped again, asking Cardinal Kurt Koch to “explain that his words on the Torah reflecting on the writings of St. Paul in the New Testament should not be taken as a judgment on Jewish law… Last week Koch sent a letter… containing a quote made by Pope Francis in 2015: ‘The Christian confessions find their unity in Christ; Judaism finds its unity in the Torah.’ Jewish sources said they saw the Vatican letter as a sign of reconciliation” (The Algemeiner, dated September 6). How this could be a sign of reconciliation is difficult to decipher. At best, the pope’s “explanation” is as ambiguous as it could be. This happens when the pope and “theologians” try to explain the Bible.

Are biblical comments about homosexuality protected in Germany?

Bild Online reported on September 4:

“Can the Bible really justify homophobic, seditious statements made by a pastor? The Bremen Regional Court is concerned with this question. The scandal: The arch-conservative Protestant pastor Olaf Latzel described homosexuals as ‘criminals’ and homosexuality as a ‘degenerative form of society’ in a marriage seminar. The Bremen District Court sentenced him to a fine of 8,100 euros for inciting people, saying that Latzel’s hateful statements had exceeded the limits of freedom of expression. But Latzel appealed.

“Now a theological report commissioned by the regional court is supposed to clarify whether Latzel’s statements ‘are still covered by the Bible’ and thus possibly should be valued more highly in terms of religious freedom.

“The ex-council chairwoman of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Margot Käßmann (63), clearly contradicts in Bild am Sonntag: ‘For me, such derogatory statements about other people are not covered by religious freedom. They also fundamentally contradict the spirit of charity that Jesus preached.’ The Protestant Church in Berlin ‘asked homosexuals in particular for forgiveness for decades of exclusion.’ Theologically it has been clarified that 2000 year-old statements of the Apostle Paul ‘do not refer to homosexual loving people who today live together in trusting partnerships.”

Explosive: The expert in the Latzel case is, of all people, the theologian Christoph Raedel (49), who himself described ‘practiced homosexuality’ as a sin and claims that homosexual people could change their orientation if they come to the faith.”

 The opinion by Margot Käßmann about the Apostle Paul, claiming that he did not refer to “homosexual loving people,” is an outrageous perversion of the clear statements of the Bible which condemns homosexual practices as sinful. But this is how theologians twist and abolish God’s Word. How the court will decide this issue will have to be seen, especially since high-ranking politicians, such as Health Minister Jens Spahn, are openly gay.

Merkel Intervenes… Too Little, Too Late?

The Guardian wrote on September 7:

“Angela Merkel has used what is likely to be her last speech in the German parliament to make her most impassioned intervention in the electoral race so far, urging the public to vote for her party’s beleaguered candidate over his surging centre-left rival. The chancellor, who will stand down after federal elections on 26 September, warned of the possibility of the Social Democratic party (SPD) and the Greens governing the country in a coalition with the far-left Die Linke. ‘What is at stake are real economic and tax-related decisions that will determine the future of our country, the number of jobs,’ Merkel said, adding that Armin Laschet of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was the only candidate capable of forming ‘a moderate government that will lead our country into the future’.

“Laschet’s star has sunk dramatically in recent weeks with one poll published on Tuesday forecasting the CDU to drop below 20% for the first time in Germany’s postwar history. The SPD, fronted in this campaign by the vice-chancellor and finance minister, Olaf Scholz, is leading the polls on about 25%.

“Merkel also used her speech to criticise Scholz for using the term ‘guinea pigs’ to describe people vaccinated against Covid-19. At a campaign rally on Saturday, the SPD candidate had urged unvaccinated people to get a jab against the virus, saying ‘guinea pigs’ like himself had shown the vaccines were safe. Merkel said… ‘None of us are guinea pigs, neither Olaf Scholz nor I…’

“Germany has fully vaccinated 61.4% of its population against Covid, lagging behind other large European nations such as Spain, France and Britain.”

Scholz’s widely reported suggestion of being a guinea pig, while pleading for vaccination, is quite inconsistent. He later said it was a joke, but it was not funny. Another report, published by Bild Online on September 7, stated that Merkel’s coalition party, Bavaria’s CSU under Markus Söder, dropped under 30%. If that were the result for the next election, it would be the worst outcome for the CSU in its history. Germany’s immediate uncertain future looks very grim.

Many Christian Churches Challenge Australia’s PM over Covid-Passport

Christian Post wrote on September 1:

“Nearly 2,500 church leaders from different denominations in Australia are urging Prime Minister Scott Morrison not to implement vaccine passports in the country, warning that it would create ‘an unethical two-tiered society’ and ‘medical apartheid.’… [An open letter was] composed by three pastors from Baptist churches and signed by church leaders from across the country… [The letter states:] ‘Free citizens should have the right of consent, especially when the vaccine rollout has been labeled as a “clinical trial”… an individual forced to act in a way that is objectionable to their conscience will never be at peace, either before God or before the state.’… They cite a DCD study that shows 74% of people infected in Massachusetts’ COVID-19 outbreak were fully vaccinated…

“The letter adds: ‘We as Christian leaders find it untenable that we would be expected to refuse entry into our churches to a subgroup of society based on their medical choice…’

“Last month, officials in Israel said that of the country’s 650 new daily COVID-19 cases, more than half were among the fully vaccinated… studies have also shown that people who’ve already contracted the coronavirus will likely have lifetime immunity. Separately, a [study] found that vaccinating people with ‘natural immunity’ did not increase their level of protection.”

The international push by governments and the mass media for vaccinations and passports increases drastically.

Australia’s Big Brother Surveillance State

Tutanota wrote on August 31:

“This month the Australian government has passed a sweeping surveillance bill, worse than any similar legislation in any other five eye country… What makes this legislation even worse is that there is no judicial oversight…

“The new Australian surveillance bill signals the end of respect for Human Rights in Australia… Having the ability to secretly hack into people’s computers, take over their social media channels, and spy on them fundamentally undermines our right to privacy.

“Surveillance is power, and that is a threat to our free and open societies. In Germany, we know from recent history how devastating a surveillance state is.”

Australia—No Longer a Free Country

The Atlantic wrote on September 3:

“In a bid to keep the coronavirus out of the country, Australia’s federal and state governments imposed draconian restrictions on its citizens… Up to now one of Earth’s freest societies, Australia has become a hermit continent. How long can a country maintain emergency restrictions on its citizens’ lives while still calling itself a liberal democracy?…

“Before 2020, the idea of Australia all but forbidding its citizens from leaving the country, a restriction associated with Communist regimes, was unthinkable. Today, it is a widely accepted policy…

“… the government of South Australia, one of the country’s six states, developed and is now testing an app as Orwellian as any in the free world to enforce its quarantine rules. Returning travelers quarantining at home will be forced to download an app that combines facial recognition and geolocation. The state will text them at random times, and thereafter they will have 15 minutes to take a picture of their face in the location where they are supposed to be. Should they fail, the local police department will be sent to follow up in person…

“The state of Victoria announced a curfew and suspended its Parliament for key parts of the pandemic… In New South Wales, Police Minister David Elliott defended the deployment of the Australian military to enforce lockdowns… In Sydney, where more than 5 million people have been in lockdown for more than two months, and Melbourne, the country’s second-biggest city, anti-lockdown protests were banned, and when dissenters gathered anyway, hundreds were arrested and fined.

“… if a country indefinitely forbids its own citizens from leaving its borders, strands tens of thousands of its citizens abroad, puts strict rules on intrastate travel, prohibits citizens from leaving home without an excuse from an official government list, mandates masks even when people are outdoors and socially distanced, deploys the military to enforce those rules, bans protest, and arrests and fines dissenters, is that country still a liberal democracy?

“Enduring rules of that sort would certainly render a country a police state…”

Indeed. But this same kind of spirit is affecting the entire planet.

Australia’s and New Zealand’s Insane Policies

Breitbart wrote on September 9:

“Australia has now resorted to monitoring alcohol consumption and in some cases confiscating drinks in areas under strict lockdown… Residents in Sydney complained authorities have often searched ‘care packages sent by friends and relatives’ to check for violations of the order… Whether or not NSW Health has the authority to limit alcohol consumption for people being quarantined in their private residences has been called into question…

 “Australia’s neighbor New Zealand has already vowed to close its borders for the remainder of the year, continuing the country’s embrace of a total isolationist strategy in its fight against the coronavirus…

 “Australia’s national carrier Qantas will ban unvaccinated travelers from international flights, CEO Alan Joyce reaffirmed this week… The announcement follows the airline’s announcement of mandatory vaccination for its staff, which will affect approximately 22,000 people.”

Pushing for Vaccinations

The Los Angeles Times wrote on September 3:

“…it’s now clear that even those who have gotten their shots can still contract and spread the virus…

“California  health officials recommend residents delay both domestic and international travel until they’re fully vaccinated…”

npr wrote on September 2:

“If you’re not vaccinated, you shouldn’t travel over the long Labor Day weekend. That’s the bottom line, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.”

It’s tantamount again to a recommendation for a lockdown and self-imprisonment of the unvaccinated. One can anticipate the time when these recommendations turn once more into mandates.

WARNING! More Autocratic Mandates by Biden

CNN wrote on September 9:

“President Joe Biden on Thursday will impose stringent new vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff in a sweeping attempt to contain the latest surge of Covid-19.

“The new requirement could apply to as many as 100 million Americans, according to the White House, and amount to Biden’s strongest push yet to require vaccines for much of the country. The President will direct the Labor Department to require all businesses with 100 or more employees ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested once a week. Companies could face thousands of dollars in fines per employee if they don’t comply.

“Biden plans to sign an executive order requiring all government employees be vaccinated against Covid-19, with no option of being regularly tested to opt out. The President will also sign an order directing the same standard be applied to employees of contractors who do business with the federal government.”

The Huffington Post added on September 9:

“The directives represent a significant step in pushing the private sector, an area where the president has been hesitant to use federal powers too heavily.”

This is socialist dictatorship, plain and simple. Will Americans ever wake up to this dangerous intrusion into their rights in light of Biden’s complete failure and utter incompetence in the Afghanistan debacle?  Not very likely. Note the next article.

RELIGIOUS Persecution by United Airlines

The Hill wrote on September 8:

“United Airlines told its staff on Wednesday that those who are granted religious exemptions from getting vaccinated against the coronavirus will be placed on a temporary unpaid leave… In August, United became the first major U.S. airline to issue a vaccine mandate for its employees.”

Medical Exemptions—Few and Far Between

Newsmax Health wrote on September 3:

“The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially given its full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. This opens the door for companies, universities, and other organizations to mandate COVID immunization. People can request medical exemption from getting the vaccine, however, experts say these exclusions are few and far between…

“Medical exemptions are usually based on ‘contraindications’ or reasons why an individual should not get the vaccine… In the case of the Pfizer vaccine, now called Comirnaty since its full approval, the only contraindication is a ‘known history of a severe allergic reaction to any component’ of the drug…

“… the Pfizer vaccine consists of messenger RNA and four lipid nanoparticles. One of these particles, called polyethylene glycol or PEG, could be an allergic component of the vaccine, and has been previously linked to anaphylaxis… The same lipid is found in the Moderna jab, another mRNA vaccine, but not in the Johnson & Johnson formulation…

“The CDC says that people who experienced an allergic reaction to the vaccine within four hours of getting it may also be exempt from getting another dose. The symptoms include hives, swelling and wheezing…

“Pregnant women are also cleared by the CDC to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as long as they are not allergic to any of the components.  Some people have experienced myocarditis, or heart inflammation, after an mRNA vaccine… The CDC recommends waiting until the symptoms are resolved before getting a second dose…”

Doctors tell us that these side effects or allergic reactions are extremely rare. They were compared with the probability of being struck by lightning. But more than half of Americans have allergies. Therefore, it would be wise, no matter what the personal decision may be, to ask God for guidance and help and not just rely on recommendations by the CDC and other doctors who may or may not have the correct answers.

Did Fauci Lie?

Breitbart wrote on September 7:

“The U.S. government contributed funding to controversial gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, a report alleged Monday.

“Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the chief medical advisor to Democrat President Joe Biden, has previously denied the National Institute of Health [NIH] has ever funded such research.

“The Intercept reported 900 new pages of previously undisclosed information from the NIH, which The Intercept obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, that the EcoHealth Alliance used federal grant money to fund dangerous bat coronavirus research in the Chinese labs. The Intercept reported:

“‘The bat coronavirus grant provided the EcoHealth Alliance with a total of $3.1 million, including $599,000 that the Wuhan Institute of Virology used in part to identify and alter bat coronaviruses likely to infect humans. Even before the pandemic, many scientists were concerned about the potential dangers associated with such experiments…

“Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University, reviewed the material… ‘The documents make it clear that assertions by the NIH Director, Francis Collins, and the NIAID Director, Anthony Fauci, that the NIH did not support gain-of-function research or potential pandemic pathogen enhancement at WIV are untruthful,’ he wrote.

“As Breitbart News reported, Fauci has admitted some funds went to Wuhan but claimed they were never used for ‘gain of function’ support…”

So, would Fauci be also partially responsible for the outbreak of the virus in China?

Unvaccinated Blamed, but the Facts Paint Different Story

Breitbart wrote on September 6:

“Daily coronavirus cases are up by over 300 percent compared to last Labor Day despite the prevalence of vaccines, data from Johns Hopkins University shows. This comes despite the fact that vaccines, which politicians have presented as the key to returning to the state of pre-pandemic normalcy, are widely available. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 176 million people in the U.S., or 53 percent of the U.S. population, are considered ‘fully vaccinated,’ and over 206 million have received at least one dose.

“USA Today, however, squarely places the blame on the Delta variant and ‘a swath of Americans refusing easily accessible vaccines…’ The newspaper is hardly the only source to place the blame on the unvaccinated for rising case levels. Dr. Anthony Fauci… has also placed blame on the unvaccinated population…

“Again and again, the administration has presented the vaccine as the answer to returning to pre-pandemic life. Yet, some states and localities have ushered mask mandates back in, forcing the vaccinated to cover up yet again. Recent surveys, however, suggest that the majority of unvaccinated Americans remain rigid in their decision to refrain from getting the shot.”

The problem is, with Fauci’s changing stories, acting hypocritically and lying to the American people, how can one be sure that he is telling the truth now, or that he even knows what he is talking about? When it comes to the propaganda of the left-wing mass media, the answer to that question presents itself as being quite obvious.

Parental Legal Rights Come Second?

Politico wrote on September 3:

“Mask mandates by schools have quickly become one of the most politically charged aspects of the pandemic. At least six states in the South and Southwest have banned or undercut school mask mandates…

“When it comes to society’s interest in protecting children, the legal precedent is unambiguous: The rights of their parents come second. Parents do have the freedom to direct the health care and education of their children, but these rights are not unlimited… Governments can and do limit parents’ discretion with the goal of protecting the health, safety and welfare of children…

“All 50 states also have the power to limit parental discretion to protect other children… it is clear that schools and day care facilities can require masks as a condition of attendance.

“Masks in schools are a particularly good idea when you consider how easy it is for most children to wear a mask. Children are already familiar with superheroes who wear masks, including Batman and Batwoman, Spider-Man and Captain America…”

This article describes the dangerous legal situation in the USA, severely limiting parents’ rights, and it engages in absolutely nonsensical “rationale” to make its unfounded points. To say that children are already familiar with mask-wearing superheroes and that it is therefore no problem for them to wear masks all day borders on lunacy. Many reports suggest that masks do not help, but could even be harmful. We must pray to God, daily, for His protection, especially and including for our helpless children who are growing up in a Satanically-controlled society.  

Incompetence and Chaos at London Airport

Daily Mail wrote on September 4:

“The Home Office has finally admitted that massive queues at London Heathrow where people including a pregnant woman have fainted are ‘unacceptable’ after airport bosses accused Border Force of causing chaos at Terminal 5 all this week.

“A furious blame-game broke out this morning after images posted to Twitter overnight showed thousands of British arrivals forced to cram into small hallways with no social distancing measures in place and queueing for several hours to pass immigration.

“One holidaymaker… told Sky News he saw a pregnant woman pass out while in the queue on Friday night. ‘There were thousands of families queuing and just two people in booths up front checking documents,’ he claimed. ‘Children were screaming and crying… One photo even appears to show a male traveller lying on the floor in the London airport after apparently passing out while queueing for passport control, amid claims that stressed holidaymakers had no access to ventilation or toilets, and no shuttles were available.”

This happens when utter incompetence and indifference reign.

Words of War between the US and the UK

Insider wrote on September 4:

“A furious war of words between the US and UK over the chaotic troop withdrawal from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan… exposes serious fault lines in the two countries’ ‘special relationship’ at a time when the growing threats of China and radical Islam mean international cooperation is more important than ever…

“While Boris Johnson’s government initially went along with the decision, there has been fury and indignation in Westminster toward Biden following the chaotic scenes in Kabul, where both countries scrambled to evacuate nationals and allies after the Taliban’s lightning-fast takeover of the country…

“Johnson had started referring to Biden as ‘Sleepy Joe’ — reviving former President Donald Trump’s favorite nickname…

“Biden, well known for his ability to hold grudges, has long demonstrated wariness towards Johnson…

“Transatlantic relations would appear, then, to be at a low ebb, and Biden also appears to have damaged US standing within NATO.”

All of this is very dangerous for the USA, the UK, and their relationship with other countries.

BBC Shoots at Biden and USA

Breitbart wrote on September 3:

“The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has suggested that Joe Biden’s relationship with Europe has ‘turned sour’, indicating that the elderly Democrat is losing the devotion of the international media as well as world leaders post-Afghanistan.

“…the publicly-funded BBC… is widely regarded as having an institutional left-liberal bias not only by Brexiteers and conservatives but by some of its own longest-serving broadcasters, and its content was biased against Donald Trump by its own admission on occasion. However, a recent analysis… [suggests] the end is here for Europe’s love-in with President Biden…

“‘[I]n capitals across Europe, from London to Berlin, Afghanistan has soured the sweetness of Joe Biden’s honeymoon,’ the BBC  reported, noting that it was ‘not the fact of the withdrawal itself that has rankled’ but the Biden administration’s ‘lack of coordination with allies, particularly since the NATO mission at the time of the drawdown comprised troops from 36 countries, three-quarters of whom were non-American’…

“The BBC did not shy away from highlighting some of the scathing remarks that have been levelled at Biden in the wake of the Afghan fiasco, such as Czech president Milos Zeman branding it an episode of ‘cowardice’ and lamenting that ‘the Americans have lost the prestige of a global leader’…

“Biden losing his cheerleaders among Europe’s liberal ‘centrist’ establishment are compounded by the fact that he came into office having already thoroughly alienated conservative-led NATO allies such as Poland and Hungary…

“The Hungarian government, in particular, hit back at ‘the continuous lecturing, accusations and attacks’ of Democrat administrations over the years, with the country’s foreign minister saying that ‘It would be great if Joe Biden could tell us why he put pressure on the Ukrainian government to fire its chief prosecutor, and how all of this related to the investigation into his son’s Ukrainian energy deals grinding to a halt’ in a stunning public rebuke.”

A deterioration of the relationship between the USA and the UK is prophesied in the Bible.

Quo Vadis, Europe?

Geopolitical Intelligence Services (GIS) published on September 1 this article by Prince Michael of Lichtenstein (with a B.A. in Business Administration):

“The painful exodus from Afghanistan has made many losers. The people who worked for the occupying forces were left behind and betrayed. The entire Afghan population will suffer under the Taliban yoke…

“Europe had to come to terms with its total ineffectiveness as a global geopolitical player. In the capitals of the old continent, many entertained the naive illusion that President Biden’s ‘America is back’ slogan meant Washington would treat Europeans as equal partners. This fantasy was short-lived. In essence, President Biden’s policies have amounted to less cooperation than under the ‘America first’ days of President Trump. The new administration seems to operate under the motto ‘America only.’”

So, what is Europe going to do about it?

Biden Administration Does Not Understand the Muslim World

JNS wrote on September 5:

“The Western concept of ‘negotiations’ is alien to the Muslim world [where] concessions denote weakness..

“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, White House press secretary Jen Psaki and others serving the Biden administration have been playing right into the hands of America’s enemies… The Taliban not only mocked [Blinken] for his ‘empty words,’ but were fully aware of their absurdity… the Taliban now has an endless supply of military equipment, as well as huge amounts of cash, which the Biden administration left behind when it absconded from Afghanistan.

“Frustrated young Muslim males throughout the world are thus concluding that the tide of their future is pulling towards joining the Taliban, ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other jihadi groups on the march to convert the globe to Islam. If the West in general and the United States in particular had any understanding of the above mindset, they would know that the only way to put the jihadi genie back into the bottle is to mercilessly attack and destroy the terrorist organizations.

“It would be a serious mistake to fall into the Biden administration’s trap of assuring the world that the US was working with the Taliban against ISIS-K to safeguard Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. How can anyone be sure that the Taliban and ISIS-K didn’t coordinate the suicide attacks there, which left 13 US servicemen dead? After all, this is how such groups normally operate against common enemies…

“Welcome to the Middle East, where people go with the winner. Unfortunately, America chose defeat in Afghanistan. And from the Biden administration’s stated policy regarding the reopening of the consulate in Jerusalem, it looks to the Muslim world as though it wants Israel to be defeated as well….”

The naivety of the Biden Administration with regard to the Taliban and the Muslim world is mind-boggling, but the Bible says that God has poured out a spirit of stupor and blindness on our leaders.

Taliban Prevents Americans from Leaving Afghanistan

The New York Post wrote on September 6:

“Six planes funded by a Glenn Beck-founded charity were identified as some of evacuation aircrafts being grounded by the Taliban in Afghanistan… The flights chartered by Mercury One cost the organization $750,000 each and are currently sitting empty at an airport in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif…

“More than 1,600 people, including over 100 Americans are expected to evacuate the country on the planes, which were chartered from Afghanistan’s largest private airline, Kam Air… the Taliban has failed to grant ‘final clearance’ amid negotiations with the State Department that have been ‘stuck at this point.’

“Earlier Sunday, Texas Rep. Michael McCaul said six airplanes carrying Americans and Afghan refugees were being held ‘hostage’ by the Taliban at the airport in Mazar-i-Sharif… ‘This is really turning into a hostage situation where they’re not go​ing to allow American citizens to leave until they get full recognition from the United States of America.’”

Or Is the State Department to Be Blamed?

Fox News wrote on September 6:

“Americans engaged in the rescue of U.S. citizens, SIVs and green card holders left behind in Afghanistan … are horrified by what they describe as inexplicable delays from the State Department that are preventing evacuation flights from leaving the country. The State Department’s delays are recklessly endangering American lives, three different individuals involved in the private evacuation effort told Fox News…

“[It was] suggested that the State Department’s obstruction is motivated in part by embarrassment that private individuals are rescuing Americans that the U.S. government left behind. Those seeking clearance to land in Qatar were informed by military channels that they must first go through the State Department to gain approval…”

And so, the blame game continues, while Americans are prevented from leaving.

Working with the Taliban???

Deutsche Welle reported on September 7:

“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that Washington was working with the Taliban to facilitate additional charter flights from the Afghan capital… Blinken said members of the Taliban had said they would allow people with travel documents to depart Afghanistan freely…

“After US forces withdrew from Afghanistan on August 30, the Taliban took over the airport, which has been largely closed since then… Blinken denied a ‘hostage-like’ situation in Mazar-i-Sharif, saying that some passengers did not have their travel documents…

“Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Kabul on Tuesday in demonstrations against the Taliban. The Taliban fired shots into the air to scatter hundreds of people who had gathered at several rallies in Kabul. Videos show people running to escape gunfire….”

What an embarrassing and deeply humiliating situation for the world’s greatest superpower.

Taliban “Allows” Departure of One Flight

 Deutsche Welle reported on September 9:

 “More than 100 passengers, including citizens of the United States and several other Western nations, on a Qatar Airways flight from Taliban-controlled Kabul landed in Doha on Thursday. It was the first time a civilian, international flight departed the Kabul airport since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan last month… Qatari officials said Thursday that Taliban authorities permitted a flight out of Kabul for passengers who had the proper documents.”

 So, Taliban terrorists determine whether someone has proper paperwork permitting him or her to leave the country!

Far More Americans Left Behind

Breitbart wrote on September 6:

“At least 500 Americans are reportedly stranded in Afghanistan, contradicting President Joe Biden’s estimate of between 100 and 200, according to the Associated Press (AP) on Sunday.

“Among those who believe Biden has miscalculated how many Americans remain trapped behind enemy lines includes Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who told the AP, ‘the number of U.S. citizens still there and wanting to leave is closer to 500.’ And if the family members of those trapped Americans are included, Issa believes the overall ‘number of people could be as high as 1,000.’…

“The true number of Americans stranded behind enemy lines is unknown. The White House’s original number of Americans within Afghanistan before the country collapsed was about 11,000. But the Biden administration said after the deadly evacuation finished, only 6,000 Americans had been flown out of the country, potentially leaving about 5,000. Yet Biden told the world after the deadly evacuation in a prepared speech a few days later that his administration left ten percent of Americans in the country.”

So it appears, the number of Americans left behind is even much greater than just 500 or 1,000, let alone 100 or 200.

Does The State Department Keep Lying?

Newsmax wrote on September 7:

“The State Department ‘lied’ when it said it helped get an American mother and her three children out of Afghanistan, Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Newsmax on Monday night. ‘To see that the State Department goes out and takes this credit for this, it is a flat out, disgraceful lie, for them to do that,’ Mullin [said]. ‘This is on par for this administration.’

“State Department officials said the woman, a U.S. citizen, and her three children, escaped the war-torn nation via an overland route to another country…  Mullin said, while there was some help provided Monday, the two-week ordeal to get her out, which he and his team were working on around the clock, was offered no assistance from the State Department and were even told many times to ‘stand down’ from intervening.”

Disgraceful!

Americans Balk at Intrusive Government Surveillance

 The Associated Press wrote on September 7:

“As the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks approaches, Americans increasingly balk at intrusive government surveillance in the name of national security, and only about a third believe that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were worth fighting, according to a new poll…

“46% of Americans say they oppose the U.S. government responding to threats against the nation by reading emails sent between people outside of the U.S. without a warrant, as permitted under law for purposes of foreign intelligence collection. That’s compared to just 27% who are in favor…

“About two-thirds of Americans continue to be opposed to the possibility of warrantless U.S. government monitoring of telephone calls, emails and text messages made within the U.S.

“… about two-thirds of Americans say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat from extremist groups inside the U.S. By contrast, about one-half say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat from foreign-based militants…”

However, terrorist threats from outside the USA have grown tremendously since the ongoing debacle in Afghanistan. Of course, outside terrorist groups might very well have already placed sleeper killer cells in the USA. Sadly, we should be aware of the possibility of another terrible terrorist attack on US soil in the very near future.

Americans Suffer from Warning Fatigue!

The Associated Press wrote on September 4:

“Cellphones across New York and New Jersey pulsed with urgent warnings of catastrophic flooding as the fury of Hurricane Ida’s remnants, carrying torrential rains, approached upper New Jersey and New York City on Wednesday… A barrage of other alerts from a litany of apps lit up phone screens throughout the night — prompting some to wonder if people were just too inundated with information to take the threat seriously. Experts call it ‘warning fatigue,’ and no one can be sure what role it might have played in a tragedy that killed scores of people across the Northeast… many drowning in their basement apartments or in cars trapped in submerged roadways…

“‘It’s either they don’t believe the information that they’re hearing — they can’t verify it — or there’s some other reason that is completely out of anybody’s control,’ said Ross Dickman, the meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in New York….”

The Church of God has warned the American people for decades that terrible events will happen to them, unless they repent. But they seem to be plagued with warning fatigue in that regard as well.

North America’s Punishing Drought

Reuters wrote on September 3:

“Record-setting heat and sparse rain left [Canadian rancher Dianne] Riding with too little grass or hay to feed her cattle near Lake Francis, Manitoba. She sold 51 head at auction in July, about 40 percent of her herd…

“Such liquidations of breeding stock are expected to limit cattle production in the coming years, tightening North America’s beef supply and driving up consumer prices…

“The drought spanning much of western North America – from western Canada to California and Mexico – has cooked pastures and hay crops that fatten cattle. The ranchers’ plight is one impact of many from the punishing drought, which has also damaged wheat across North Dakota and cherries in Washington state, weakened bee colonies, and forced California to shut a major hydroelectric plant. In British Columbia, an entire town burned, while California is expected to see a record number of acres go up in flames this year…

“Adding to ranchers’ problems, prices of feed alternatives such as corn, soy and wheat are the highest in years. There is so little feed available that Manitoba farmers have bought 280 tons of hay from as far away as Prince Edward Island, some 3,400 kms (2,000 miles) to the east…

“In the United States, the world’s third-biggest beef exporter… a third of U.S. cattle are in drought areas… and producers are making the painful decision to send animals to slaughter early.”

The Bible predicts droughts with devastating consequences for the USA, Canada and other English-speaking countries in these end times.

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.

You may be referring to the phrase that was used in a sermon that “you have to be sold on the Way of Life” to be a true Christian.

When someone is called into the true Church of God, it is a unique calling from God, as we read in John 6:44 where Jesus said: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” In fact, Jesus repeated this in verse 65 of the same chapter, prefacing His comments with: “I have said to you…,” and then reiterating that a calling from the Father was necessary.

Unfortunately, today there are those who say that they have been seeking God and join a church of their choice, but that is not a calling from God. It is a priceless privilege to be called by God at this time, and He places in His church those whom He chooses.

The Free Dictionary online describes the phrase “to be sold on something” as an idiom, and idioms are classified as figurative language which is the use of words in an unusual or imaginative manner. It describes the phrase as follows:

“…to be confident in or convinced about something’s viability, veracity etc., often to the point of being enthusiastically supportive of it.”

When applying this phrase to our calling, it is surely much deeper and stronger than this dictionary definition. Our calling is not something to be taken lightly, and in the context we are discussing, it must also mean to be convicted or convinced of something, not just on a temporary whim but on a long term and permanent basis. Why? It is really very simple, as Matthew 24:13 reveals the answer: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved,” showing that our calling from God is one from which we must never shirk or on which we must never turn our back.

The famous parable of the sower in Matthew 13 is a perfect example of having to be sold on God’s Way of Life. Let us briefly review this parable, starting in verses 3-4: “Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: ‘Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.’”  This is explained in verse 19: “‘When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.’” A clear case of not being sold on God’s Way of Life.

Continuing in verses 5-6: “‘Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.’” This is explained in verses 20-21: ‘‘But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.’” Another clear case of not being sold on God’s Way of Life.

We read a further example in verse 7: “‘And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.’” This is explained in verse 22: “‘Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.’” A third case of not being sold on God’s way of life.

After three negative examples, we move on to verse 8 where we see positive outcomes: “‘But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’” This is explained in verse 23: “‘But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’” That must be our standard.

One of the most important things that anyone must consider when being called is to count the cost and to think through all of the implications of a complete change of lifestyle.

On the website gotquestions, under the heading of counting the cost, these observations are made:

“Jesus said a lot in those simple illustrations. He quickly put an end to the idea that He offered some kind of welfare program. Although the gift of eternal life is free… [it] requires a transfer of ownership… ‘Counting the cost’ means recognizing and agreeing to some terms first. In following Christ, we cannot simply follow our own inclinations. We cannot follow Him and the world’s way at the same time (Matthew 7:13-14). Following Him may mean we lose relationships, dreams, material things, or even our lives.

“Those who are following Jesus simply for what they can get won’t stick around when the going gets tough. When God’s way conflicts with our way, we will feel betrayed by the shallow, me-first faith we have bought into. If we have not counted the cost of being His child, we will turn away at the threat of sacrifice and find something else to gratify our selfish desires (cf. Mark 4:5, 16-17).  In Jesus’ earthly ministry, there came a time when… public opinion turned ugly. The cheering crowds became jeering crowds. And Jesus knew ahead of time that would happen.

“Jesus ended His description of the cost of discipleship with a breathtaking statement: ‘Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple’ (Luke 14:33; the New King James Bible says: “forsake”). ‘Renouncing’ may mean we give up something physically, but more often it means we let go emotionally so that what we possess no longer possesses us. When we become one of His, we cannot continue to belong to this world (1 John 2:15-17).”

We read in 2 Peter 2:20-22 what happens when someone who has been called by God turns his back on his calling: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’”

That is hardly a compliment to those who leave the true Church of God and go back into the world, as many have done over the years. We would certainly recoil or shrink from the comparison of returning to the mire but it applies clearly to those who have done so. If the sow was washed, she would revert to type and go straight back into the mire, and that is precisely what those who leave the true Church of God have done! Having come out of the world into the knowledge of the Truth, they then returned back into their former sinful worldly ways.

It certainly shows how deceived some can be, and we read in Jeremiah 17:9 that “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”

Being sold on God’s Way of Life means accepting, fully and completely, that it is the only way, and this will ensure that we will remain steadfast and loyal to Him, whatever life may throw at us. It is a full-time commitment that we buy into, and being sold on God’s Way of Life is the inevitable outcome which will ensure that we live forever in the soon-coming Kingdom of God.

It is a lifetime’s activity that has tremendous rewards in our life now for all eternity!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

A new Member Letter (September 2021) has been written and posted. Evangelist Norbert Link draws a contrast between this world so influenced by Satan and those of God’s Church who are faithfully observing the annual Holy Days of God. This very encouraging letter also contains warning that Satan continues to try and deceive not only the world but even the elect of God. Please contact us if you would like to receive our monthly Member Letters.

The German translation of the Member Letter, as well as of this week’s Editorial and most of this week’s Current Events articles, have also been posted on our German website. 

“How Christian are Our Christian Leaders?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. 

Here is a summary:

What about President Biden’s claim of being a devout Catholic while supporting abortion? What about Pope Francis’ teaching that Christianity replaces the Torah and that the Ten Commandments have expired and are void of meaning? And what about statements by Germany’s ex-council chairwoman of the Protestant Church that the apostle Paul did not condemn practicing homosexuals? Can any of these comments be characterized as truly Christian? 

“Wie christlich sind unsere christlichen Führer?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program presented by Norbert Link. This presentation covers similar material as described above. 

“Frieden stiften und bewahren,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Making and Keeping Peace.”

“Sind wir bereit für die Wiederkunft Jesu Christi?” the Offertory presented on the Feast of Trumpets in Germany by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “Are We Ready for Christ’s Return?”

“Wenn die letzte Posaune erschallt,” the sermon presented on the Feast of Trumpets in Germany by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Title in English: “When the Last Trumpet Sounds.”

“Gratitude,” the Offertory presented on the Feast of Trumpets by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Expressing our gratitude helps us to find contentment in life, even under the most dire of circumstances. Through the act of bringing an offering to God, we are able to give our thanks to Him and reflect upon the wonders He works in our lives.

“Why Do Christians Observe the Feast of Trumpets,” the sermon presented on the Feast of Trumpets by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Those whom God calls are tested as to whether or not they will actually obey God in all things. Observing the Sabbath Day is often the first real challenge, but all of the “feasts of the LORD” are to be observed, and that is true for the Feast of Trumpets as well.

“Overwhelmed,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Startling events for which few are prepared, are happening at an ever increasing pace, and more is in store! It will take the return of Jesus Christ for peace to be established on the earth.

“Resilience,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Setbacks, disappointments, loss, failures – all of these things can be the cause of discouragement, which left unchecked, will disintegrate hope. What does it take to be resilient enough to bounce back when we face struggles? What are the promises from God that we can count on?

The 2021 Feast Brochure is now posted.

We will observe the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day for 2021, in Rapid City, South Dakota, and near Düsseldorf, Germany.  If you would like more information, check out our websites: https://www.eternalgod.org/feasts/  ; https://www.ewigengottes.de/wir-uber-uns/laubhuttenfest-2021/

FALL HOLY DAYS for 2021:

September 16        Day of Atonement

September 21-27  Feast of Tabernacles

September 28        Last Great Day