On November 7, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (November 7, 2020)” and the sermon, titled, “Political Alliance and Friendships Are Useless.”
The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Newsmax wrote on November 5:
“President Donald Trump called out election ‘corruption’ and attempts to ‘rig an election’ in a White House news conference Thursday, setting up a potentially protracted battle in the courts over the counting and the monitoring of ballots. ‘If you count the legal votes, I easily win,’ Trump told reporters in the briefing… ‘If you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us… You have Election Day and the laws are very strong and that you have an Election Day. And they don’t want votes cast after election day, and they want the process to be an honest one – so important. We want an honest election; we want an honest count.’
“Trump said he ‘predicted’ this election chaos with his rebuke of mass mail-in voting… ‘It’s destroyed our system; it’s a corrupt system. And it makes people corrupt, even if they aren’t by nature, but they become corrupt. It’s too easy. They want to find out how many votes they need and then they seem to be able to find them. They wait and wait and then they find them.’
“In a pair of Trump campaign moves Thursday, election ballot counting improprieties have been claimed in Pennsylvania and Nevada, two states that remain pivotal to the president’s path to 270 electoral college votes… ‘They don’t want anybody in there; they don’t want anybody watching them as they count the ballots, and I can’t imagine why,’ Trump said. ‘There’s absolutely no legitimate reason why they would not want to have people watching this process, because [if] it’s straight – they would be here should be proud of it – instead they’re trying obviously to commit fraud. There’s no question about that in Philadelphia observers have been kept far away.’…
“Earlier Thursday, Amb. Ric Grenell claimed the ‘Harry Reid machine’ has led to illegal voting in Nevada, including the casting of ballots by voters who are no longer legal residents. During a press conference in Las Vegas, Grenell and other officials announced their legal action, saying illegal voting practices have occurred in Nevada. Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt noted that ‘thousands of ballots’ have been found ‘in trash cans in apartment buildings.’”
Also, in Philadelphia thousands of ballots suddenly appeared, which were all in favor of Biden, with not one single vote in favor of Trump. This would be more than just suspicious.
The Sun added:
“Speaking from the White House briefing room on Thursday evening, the president lashed out at what he called a ‘fraudulent’ election steered by the Democrats in cahoots with ‘big media, big money and big tech.’”
He apparently alluded to the polls which were all terribly wrong. It has been suggested on FoxNews that they might have been wrong intentionally.
Prof. Alan Dershowitz wrote on November 5 in Newsmax:
“President Trump’s legal team is filing lawsuits in a number of states. Some have better chances than others… no one can be absolutely certain about how the courts will decide cases and controversies brought before them regarding the current election, especially since so many current federal judges were appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the Republican senate. Stay tuned.
“The counting of millions of votes may soon be over, but then we may be looking at the votes of just five people: the justices who could… determine the outcome of this election as they did the election 20 years ago [regarding Bush vs. Gore].”
For more information on this subject, see additional articles below, under the headline, “Trump Speaks of Fraud… Europe ‘Concerned.’”
The Washington Post wrote on October 31:
“A Democrat in North Carolina changed her voter affiliation, scared to be outed in a red state. A Republican in Washington stopped speaking to his Democratic neighbors and lied to pollsters about his support for President Trump, calling himself a member of the ‘silent majority.’
“Across the United States, political signs have been set ablaze, cars have been vandalized and neighborhood scuffles and shouting matches have proliferated in the waning days of the most toxic election season in more than half a century.
“Amid the erosion of political discourse, a fear of retaliation has spread, pitting neighbor against neighbor and squashing the political exchange… Some Americans say they have taken down election yard signs and quit social media over fears they could be physically targeted. The victims are often political minorities: blue voters in red states and red voters in blue states….
“The threats have affected voters from coast to coast. A Pennsylvania family found six gunshots fired through the Biden sign in their front lawn in early October… An Alabama woman with a Biden sign in front of her home told local news she woke up to the word ‘Trump’ spray-painted in bright orange on the hood of her white Honda Civic. A convoy of trucks flying Trump flags aggressively chased a Biden campaign bus recently on an interstate near Austin…
“Trump supporters have been targeted, too. A video circulating online shows a man ripping a Trump flag off a car during a parade supporting the president in Orange County, Calif., in early October. Even the head of the Georgetown County elections board in South Carolina was swept into political tensions when local Republicans said they captured him and his wife defacing a Trump sign. Dean Smith, a 15-year veteran of the board, resigned a few days later…
“For quiet Trump supporters, fears of doxing and other online harassment from digital mobs have muted their political talk. Cities suffering vandalism by far-left actors further their concerns about retaliation for their political views, they said.”
It appears that civil unrest—if not worse—is inevitable in the USA.
The Week published the following opinion piece by Bonnie Kristian on October 30. Even though written before the election, it shows the dilemma which many thinking voters felt. AND, it gives Church members another reason why they should have abstained from voting in the first place:
“On Tuesday or, more likely, sometime in the two months after it, we’ll know who won. And so, as I write my last pre-election column: I don’t want the winner to be Biden. But I do want Trump to lose. I realize, of course, the obvious objection to that pair of sentences: In the race we have, Trump losing means Biden wins. I understand that. I understand, too, the perfect symmetry of partisan conviction that failing to vote for one of these two candidates (whether via an alternative vote or abstention) amounts to a vote for his opponent. I reject that reasoning…
“But this is not a column about how I’ll vote, nor is it some strange attempt to deny the reality that, come January 20, 2021, one of these men will be our president. It is simply my registration of utter discontent with the choice we’ve been offered for the next four years… Part of this is about policy, as both candidates have promised to take actions I do not want done in my name… both candidates have foreign policies I find unconscionable…
“Though each gets some things right, neither shows any sign of rejecting the past 20 years of global military interventionism and implementing a humane and prudent foreign policy where the goal is not American supremacy but peace. To vote for either candidate is to vote for innocents dead, markets turned to rubble, weddings turned to funerals. That we may expect other advantages of one candidate’s victory does not alter that fact…
“In other policy arenas, too, I find some things to like, usually with caveats, and more to vehemently oppose. In immigration and refugee policy as well as criminal justice reform, I’d prefer Biden. On religious liberty and abortion, I lean toward Trump… On health care and fiscal issues, I’ve reached a point of assuming nothing I’d support will ever happen — I’ll be surprised if I live to see a balanced federal budget…”
Some claim, not being oblivious to the obvious shortcomings of both candidates and the policies which they represent, that we ought to vote for the lesser evil. But we would still cast our vote for an evil, wouldn’t we?
Deutsche Welle wrote on November 4:
“German government officials signaled the country’s anxiety on Wednesday about the instability of the US election. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer warned that the US faced a ‘very explosive situation’ and a possible crisis, following comments in which President Donald Trump implied that [he] had won the election… The minister said it appeared ‘the battle over the legitimacy of the result, however it turns out, has begun.’ German vice chancellor and finance minister, Olaf Scholz, echoed Kramp-Karrenbauer’s concern…
“On the tough relationship between Germany and the US in the Trump era, Kramp-Karrenbauer… stressed that regardless of the ultimate outcome of the US vote, Europe would need to become more self-sufficient. Scholz backed the notion, saying that given the developments in the US, Europe needed to strengthen its own ‘sovereignty’ so that ‘a rules-based global order can exist.’…
“In France, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the outcome of the presidential vote will have little impact on US-Europe trade relations, predicting that no matter who wins, Washington is unlikely to drop its confrontational stance. ‘Let’s not kid ourselves: The United States has not been a friendly partner to European states for several years now, Bruno Le Maire told Radio Classique…. ‘The American continent has detached itself from the European continent.’”
Trump said that based on in-person votes, he had won, which is true for almost all states. He questioned the legitimacy of many mail-in votes which gave the victory to Biden in most states.
CBS added on November 4 that “Mr. Trump continued his efforts to undermine confidence in the legitimate vote-counting process on Wednesday… ‘Last night I was leading, often solidly, in many key States, in almost all instances Democrat run & controlled. Then, one by one, they started to magically disappear as surprise ballot dumps were counted. VERY STRANGE, and the ‘pollsters’ got it completely & historically wrong!’ Mr. Trump tweeted, a clear attempt to cast doubt on the electoral process.”
The Trump campaign began its legal recourse by filing lawsuits in Pennsylvania and Michigan, charging massive fraud and corruption by the Democrats, requesting a recount in Wisconsin, and they announced future lawsuits in other states. The campaign also suggested a “national” challenge, meaning that lawsuits might be filed in every state where the results are being contested. During the upheaval between Gore and Bush in 2000 and multiple recounts in Florida, it took the intervention of the Supreme Court and further political maneuverings until a winner was declared in the middle of December, with a victory in Florida of about 600 ballots.
In the words of Future of Freedom Foundation, dated November 3:
“The mainstream pro-Biden media is poking fun at Donald Trump’s suggestion that there could be fraud involved in the post-election receipt of mail-in ballots. Apparently they’re not familiar with the election-theft case of Lyndon Johnson, who would go on to become president of the United States… Johnson election theft took place in 1948, when he was running for the Democratic nomination for US Senate against Texas Governor Coke Stevenson… In the primary election, Stevenson led Johnson by 70,000 votes, but because he didn’t have a majority of the votes, he was forced into a run-off. The run-off was held on a Saturday. On the Sunday morning after the run-off, Stevenson was leading by 854 votes… the day after the run-off election it was ‘discovered’ that the returns of a particular county had not yet been counted. The newly discovered votes were overwhelmingly in favor of Johnson. Then, on Monday more returns came in from the Rio Grande Valley.
“Nonetheless, on Tuesday, the State Election Bureau announced that Stevenson had won by 349 votes… On Friday, precincts in the Rio Grande Valley made [fraudulent] ‘corrections’ to their tallies, which narrowed Stevenson’s lead to 157. But also on Friday, Jim Wells County… filed [fraudulent] ‘amended’ returns for what has become famous as ‘Box 13’ that gave Johnson another 200 votes. [The fraud in regard to the “additional” 200 votes was later confessed to by the perpetrator.] When all was said and done, Johnson had ‘won’ the election by 87 votes…
“Johnson got a friendly state judge to issue an injunction preserving the status quo, after which the Democratic executive committee, by one vote, declared Johnson to be the winner. … So, Lyndon Johnson stole the election and ended up going to Washington as Texas’ US Senator. Ironically, if Stevenson had become the state’s senator instead, Johnson would never have been selected to be John Kennedy’s vice-presidential running mate and, consequently, would never have been president.”
Incredible. But it seems that everything goes in America.
In addition, as the Week reported on November 4, “Democrats’ hopes of winning control of the Senate dimmed as several vulnerable Republicans appeared to have won re-election… Democrats appeared to have held onto their House majority in Tuesday’s election, but Republicans did better than predicted.”
Express wrote on October 31:
“French MEP… Thierry Mariani suggested President Trump’s isolationist policies would serve as a ‘wake-up call’ for Brussels to seek alternatives to the NATO defence system. Speaking to France 24, Mr Mariani said: ‘…there will be a day when we have a common defence or common foreign affairs. For that, we need to have stronger force together and if NATO, little by little, is less present in Europe maybe some country will push the defence effort… I think it’s in the interests of Europe to have less American troops inside the continent.’
“Earlier this year, Mr Trump announced the US would withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany and redeploy them back home or across other bases in Europe. Mr Mariani insisted a second Trump term could help the continent seek more independence from the US and establish itself as a leading power on the international stage… ‘What is my dream? I entered politics dreaming like General de Gaulle of an independent Europe. Europe as a power and not just as an all-the-time ally to America.’”
Exactly what is prophesied to happen.
Boris Johnson announced a second lockdown—the longest so far compared with other European countries. But his announcement is not well received by many in the UK. Note the following articles.
The Sun on Sunday wrote on November 1:
“BORIS Johnson presented a Halloween horror show on primetime TV last night.
“… the human cost of Lockdown Two in cold, dark winter could also make the three-month clamp in the spring look like a walk in the park. Struggling small businesses already hit hard by the first wave will have no pre-Christmas trading to see them through. More firms will go to the wall and more jobs will be lost… many small firms such as hairdressers and nail bars plus local pubs suffered. They will now be pushed to the brink of disaster.
“The cost to the economy will be £1.8billion A DAY and the cost in lives lost to other untreated illness will be huge. Furthermore, how good is the exit plan from this new clamp?… [the consequences of] this lockdown [are] disastrous for Britain.”
Express published on November 1 the following opinion piece of Neil Hamilton, UKIP interim leader and a member of the Welsh Parliament:
“IT is a catastrophe that the Prime Minister has surrendered to the doom-mongering of the SAGE committee. These statisticians and mathematical modellers are more akin to professors of guesswork. There are many real scientists and epidemiologists who disagree with this approach. The signatories of The Great Barrington Declaration have presented a humane, sensible alternative to national lockdowns; however our Government seems intent on pursuing this sledgehammer approach.
“This lockdown will make no difference whatsoever… These measures will serve as an incinerator to the already wrecked British economy. The hospitality sector has barely picked itself up from the blow of the last lockdown; these measures will act as the final nail for many. The human price for this Government’s obsession is already evident… up to 50,000 cancers are going undiagnosed due to COVID and projecting numbers to double in a year.
“If we ever do get a public inquiry about the way the UK have monumentally mishandled this crisis, we will find that more people were killed by Government policy than by the COVID virus. This is a colossal act of self-harm from a floundering Government.”
The Daily Mail published on November 1 the following article by Dr. Tom Jefferson and Professor Carl Heneghan:
“You could be forgiven for thinking that the situation we now face is as clear as it possibly could be – and that it is becoming more dangerous by the day. The virus, we are told, is out of control, that Britain is heading for 3,000 to 4,000 deaths a day by Christmas, and that our hospitals are on the edge of catastrophe.
“Yet we believe the situation is not at all clear. There are only two things about which we can be certain: first, that lockdowns do not work in the long term. They kick the can down the road. The idea that a month of economic hardship will permit some sort of ‘reset’, allowing us a brighter future, is a myth. What, when it ends, do we think will happen? Meanwhile, ever-increasing restrictions will destroy lives and livelihoods.
“The second certainty is this: that we need to find a way out of the mess that does no more damage than the virus itself. We presented just such a plan to the Prime Minister himself more than a month ago…Our strategy would be to tackle the four key failings. We must address the problems in the Government’s mass testing programme; we must tackle the blight of confused and contradictory statistics; we must make real efforts to protect and isolate those who are vulnerable; and we must inform the public about the true and quantifiable costs of lockdown (as if they needed telling)….”
However, the wrong and irresponsible lockdown approach is taken all over the world and especially in Europe, including Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Belgium.
On November 2, the Daily Mail published the following article by Ross Clark:
“It was the Halloween horror no one had been expecting: a series of mind-boggling graphs and charts presented at Saturday’s Downing Press… conference that purported to show the Covid-19 pandemic was out of control and a second national lockdown was needed. But do the graphs and charts really support this?
“[One] chart was designed to show that some hospitals already had more Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave in the spring… Certainly the chart gave the impression that hospitals were already close to overflowing. But the truth isn’t nearly as terrifying.
“For while 29 hospitals are shown on the slide, the full dataset, published by NHS England, actually includes 482 NHS and private hospitals in England – at least 232 of which (and probably more as some entries were left blank) had not a single Covid-19 patient on October 27. This is hardly surprising since official figures showed there were 9,213 patients in hospital with the disease on October 31, compared with 17,172 at the spring peak. Even back then hospitals were far from full and the Nightingale units were virtually empty…
“Chris Whitty unveiled two charts showing where in England Covid-19 infections were increasing, with brown and yellow zones highlighting where cases were up and blue showing they were down. ‘Virtually across the entire country now there is a significant rate of increase,’ announced the chief medical officer. The map, however, begs to differ. In fact, it shows there are 34 districts in England where cases are static or falling… Most remarkably… it reveals that cases have fallen sharply across Merseyside over the past week, and that in parts of Liverpool they have fallen by more than 60 per cent. This is significant because Liverpool was the first part of the country to be placed into Tier Three restrictions…
“One slide… showed ‘the prevalence of the disease has been going up extremely rapidly over the past few weeks’. However, the chart actually suggested that the rate was no longer increasing exponentially, contrary to what Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, predicted in his briefing of September 14.
“… Moreover, the curve is clearly flattening in London, the West Midlands and the South East…”
With manipulated figures, governments successfully deceive a panic-stricken public.
The Wall Street Journal wrote on October 29:
“As governments once again shut businesses across Europe to stop a surge in coronavirus infections, acceptance of restrictions is fading and some small businesses are refusing to cooperate. The sense of a common goal and solidarity with front-line medical workers evident in the spring has given way to frustration among restaurateurs, hoteliers, retailers and other business owners who are rapidly running through their financial reserves.
“This month’s lockdowns are more targeted than in the spring and in some cases come with substantial aid for those affected. Yet they are raising more opposition everywhere, from lawsuits in Germany to riots and demonstrative flouting of the rules in Italy. Restaurants, bars, clubs, entertainment and sport venues will largely close under the new measures. In France, curfews will confine people to their homes. Germany is barring hotels from hosting tourists for a month and banning normally legal prostitution.”
APK Metro added on October 30:
“Mr. Bragato [owner of a restaurant in Berlin] took out a mortgage of €250,000, equal to $292,000, through the first lockdown. He has since invested into outside heating and an indoor air flow system. The restaurant hasn’t had a single coronavirus case amongst workers or friends, he mentioned. The German restaurateur affiliation Dehoga mentioned it was contemplating suing the federal government, saying revenues between March and August had dropped 40% [within] 12 months. A third of 245,000 companies are actually going through closure, it mentioned.
“Berlin bar house owners [successfully] sued… local authorities earlier this month after [they ordered] all bars within the metropolis to shut at 11 p.m.”
It goes beyond just mere discontent or vocal opposition. Note the next article.
The Guardian wrote on November 1:
“Fears of civil unrest grow as people across the continent no longer trust leaders to protect them during the crisis… In tone and spirit, the messages [aired by politicians and governmental spokespersons throughout Europe] echoed those delivered in March, when shock and fear led populations to rally round leaders and consent to restrictions unknown outside wartime. Eight months on, that kind of trust and goodwill is in short supply… there is public exasperation and, in some cases, open rebellion… Across the continent, there is… evidence of people facing dire economic hardship and psychological exhaustion. Earlier this month, a study from the [WHO] reported widespread apathy and reduced motivation to follow public health guidance. The emotional toll of Covid-19 has been compounded by a growing scepticism in the capacity of governments to truly get on top of a crisis that is destroying people’s livelihoods as well as threatening their health…
“After the spring lockdown was eased, the subsequent patchwork of regulations and restrictions hit some workers, and regions far harder than others. The Spanish government’s decision to declare a six-month state of emergency has led to angry protests across the country and a bitter row with the conservative regional government of Madrid, which has accused it of overstepping its powers… A poll following last week’s mini-riots found that over three-quarters of Italians believe there will be more violence in the streets this winter… the summer, local leaders in Marseille complained bitterly that a nighttime curfew and mask regulations had been imposed from Paris without due consultation. Macron’s move to a new lockdown… is already creating new divisions, as those with sufficient means insulate themselves from the worst of what is to come. On Thursday evening, huge traffic jams built up as Parisians attempted to flee the capital and head for second homes before a 9pm curfew…”
In several German states, German tourists were ordered to leave. Such a thing has never happened since Nazi Germany. No more card games (like “Skat”) with three people. Health Minister Jens Spahn: “When there are three, there is one too many.” Austria has prohibited hotels from housing tourists. Austrians are prohibited to leave their houses from 8pm to 6 am. INSANE!
The Associated Press wrote on October 30:
“European countries are calling for the World Health Organization to be given greater powers to independently investigate outbreaks and compel countries to provide more data, after the devastating coronavirus pandemic highlighted the agency’s numerous shortcomings.
“After a meeting between European Union ministers to discuss how the U.N. health agency should be strengthened, German health minister Jens Spahn said Friday the WHO should receive more political support and financial backing for its international efforts to manage acute health crises.”
Giving the thoroughly political left-wing WHO even more political support (whatever that means) is beyond words.
Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 2:
“In the war for the leadership position in the CDU [replacing Merkel], more and more Germans propose a candidate who is not even (yet) on the list: Health Minister Jens Spahn who is just a little bit behind favorite Friedrich Merz.”
At this point the discussion related to in the article evolves just around the appointment of Merkel’s successor as leader of her party [the CDU] in early 2021 and not around her succession as Chancellor which would have to be determined through nationwide elections anyhow in October of 2021.
The Associated Press wrote on November 1:
“Small groups of protesters gathered in Brazil’s two biggest cities Sunday to demonstrate against any mandate for the taking of a coronavirus vaccine, supporting a rejection campaign encouraged by President Jair Bolsonaro. People assembled in downtown Sao Paulo calling for the removal of Sao Paulo state Gov. Joao Doria, who has said state residents will be required to take a vaccine, likely the one being developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac and the local Butantan Institute.
“The CoronaVac, as it is being called, has been a prime target for skepticism from Bolsonaro and others, with the president saying Brazilians will not be guinea pigs to the Chinese. The issue has become a talking point in mayoral and city council campaigns for elections later this month, and as most health professions support vaccination, social media campaigns have raised questions about possible perils of vaccines…
“The president quickly responded that he would not allow the import of vaccines from China. Though the health regulator later gave permission for Butantan to import 6 million doses, on Thursday the president said on his weekly live program that he would not buy the vaccine and that the governor should ‘find someone else to buy your vaccine.’ On Friday, Vice President Hamilton Mourao told the magazine Veja that ‘of course’ the country will buy the Butantan-Sinovac vaccine. Bolsonaro immediately responded that he is the one with the power and he won’t spend on any vaccine that is not approved by the Brazilian health regulator…”
The push towards mandatory vaccination will undoubtedly increase in all the world. Note the next article.
Dr. Ron Paul wrote on November 2 in the Ron Paul Institute:
“The World Health Organization (WHO) recently admitted that lockdowns cause more harm than good. Following this announcement, one would have expected American politicians to immediately end the lockdowns. After all, the WHO ‘s pronouncements are considered infallible, so much so that social media sites silence anyone who dares challenge the great and powerful WHO. Yet, governors, mayors, and other government officials across the country are ignoring the WHO’s anti-lockdown position.
“Instead of admitting that the lockdowns were a mistake, many in the political class, which includes a disturbing number of medical professionals whose positions and prestige depend on government, claim that we cannot return to normalcy until a coronavirus vaccine is in wide use. This suggests that people among the majority of Americans who do not wish to be vaccinated will remain under lockdown or be forced to be vaccinated against their will.
“The assault on our liberty will not end with deployment and use of a vaccine. Moncef Slaoui, the chief adviser of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, a ‘public-private partnership’ in charge of producing and delivering a coronavirus vaccine, has said that those who receive a vaccine will be monitored by ‘incredibly precise … tracking systems.’ Slaoui has also indicated that tech giants Google and Oracle will help the government keep tabs on the vaccinated individuals. So, the vaccine program will lead to an increase in government surveillance!
“Slaoui is just the latest ‘expert’ to endorse forcing the American people to relinquish their few remaining scraps of privacy to stop coronavirus. Dr. Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates have urged development of a digital certificate for those vaccinated for coronavirus. People without the certificate would find their liberty severely restricted.
“Those who think that the new surveillance system will be limited to coronavirus should remember that Social Security numbers were only supposed to be used to administer the Social Security program. They should also consider that the PATRIOT Act’s expansion of warrantless wiretapping was supposed to be limited to stopping terrorists. However, these powers have been used for a wide variety of purposes. Whenever government is given power to abuse our rights for one reason it will inevitably use that power to abuse our rights for other reasons as well.
“Fauci and Gates’ digital certificate could, and likely will, be expanded to include proof individuals have received a variety of other vaccines and medical treatments. The digital certificate could even extend to monitoring a person’s lifestyle choices on the grounds that unhealthy habits make one more susceptible to diseases.
“The digital certificate could also be tied to the REAL ID program to deny individuals who have not been vaccinated the right to travel. It could also be combined with a future mandatory E-Verify system to deny unvaccinated individuals the right to hold a job. Those who consider this ‘paranoia’ should consider Britain is already developing a covid passport.
“Liberty lost in the ‘war on covid’ will not be voluntarily returned when the coronavirus threat ends — assuming the government ever stop moving the goal posts and declares the coronavirus threat is over…”
Dr. Paul’s article paints a terrible scenario, going far beyond George Orwell’s 1984 nightmarish novel, and it is not outside the realm of possibility. The USA is developing more and more into a dictatorship as well, such as Europe is.
The New York Post wrote on November 2:
“California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been barred by a judge from overstepping his powers and making controversial coronavirus directives that could change state laws. Since declaring a state of emergency in mid-March, Newsom has issued more than 50 executive orders over the pandemic — including ones on how people vote in the election…
“Sutter County Superior Court Judge Sarah Heckman on Monday tentatively ruled that one of his orders — requiring vote-by-mail ballots to be sent to the state’s 22 million registered voters — was ‘an unconstitutional exercise of legislative power.’
“The judge also issued an injunction barring the governor from using his emergency powers for action that ‘amends, alters, or changes existing statutory law or makes new statutory law or legislative policy.’”
Fox 11 added: “Newsom used his emergency powers to virtually shut down the state and its economy in the early weeks of the pandemic.”
In fact, he has been trying to do the same again in light of an unsubstantiated alleged “second wave.”
The New York Post wrote on October 28:
“For all their talk of ‘neutral platforms,’ the Big Shots at Big Tech — Twitter, Facebook and Google–… figure they can dictate what Americans get to see and read, and what other media companies must do to reach the public via those platforms. It’s a clear threat to a healthy democracy — and Congress has noticed. On Wednesday, the Senate launched a hearing to investigate ‘Big Tech’s bad behavior.’
“Center-stage: Twitter’s strong-arm tactics to censor the Post ever since we began reporting on Hunter Biden’s emails. First, it froze our account and banned our stories; then, amid a public backlash, it agreed to unfreeze us — but only if we deleted our original tweets.
“Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sounded like every mob enforcer and shakedown artist in history… Sen. Ted Cruz wasn’t fooled: ‘Mr. Dorsey, who… elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report, and what the American people are allowed to hear?’ he thundered… Dorsey tried to claim it was all a mistake that had been fixed, but The Post account remained locked, even as he spoke…
“Besides, if it was an honest error, then why do they only happen to one side? As Sen. Marsha Blackburn noted, Twitter has ‘censored’ President Trump 65 times and Joe Biden zero. ‘There is a pattern of subjective manipulation of information.’
“Nor can Twitter and Facebook, which also moved to suppress The Post’s reporting, claim there’s anything wrong with the stories. Asked if they had any ‘evidence’ of that, Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg both admitted they didn’t…”
On Saturday, it was announced that Twitter finally unblocked the New York Post account. At the same time, Biden satisfied the left-wing mass media (“Biden put the story to rest”) by simply stating that the story about his son was a hoax, instigated by Russia and Trump, and that his son Hunter was an honorable man. The hundreds of published comments in Breitbart to that last statement are more than telling.
The Associated Press reported on November 2:
“A federal judge in Chicago struck down a key immigration rule Monday that would deny green cards to immigrants who use food stamps or other public benefits, a blow to the Trump administration on the eve of the election. In a decision that applies nationwide, U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman rejected the rule that had taken effect recently after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a hold on the policy following lawsuits. Among other things, Feinerman said the rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act, which makes federal agencies accountable to the public by outlining a detailed process for enacting regulations.
“The decision marked the latest turn in a complex legal battle over the rule that has been among President Donald Trump’s most aggressive steps in overhauling the nation’s immigration system. The Chicago lawsuit, filed by the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Cook County, was among numerous legal challenges. Under the Trump administration policy, immigration officials could deny permanent residency to legal immigrants over their use of food stamps, Medicaid, housing vouchers or other public benefits. Green card applicants had to show they wouldn’t be burdens to the country or ‘public charges.’
“Federal law already required those seeking permanent residency or legal status to prove they wouldn’t be a ‘public charge.’ But the Trump administration rule included a wider range of programs that could disqualify them…
“The U.S. Supreme Court decided in a 5-4 vote in January that the rule could take effect, but enforcement was halted by a federal judge in New York because of the coronavirus pandemic. But by September, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had reversed that hold and the rule took effect nationwide…
“The Trump administration has touted the rule as a way to ensure only those who are self-sufficient come to the U.S., one of many steps to try to move the country toward a system that focuses on immigrants’ skills instead of emphasizing the reunification of families. U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services ceased applying the rule to pending applications and petitions after the ruling in Chicago…”
CNN wrote on November 2:
“The Vatican has sought to clarify Pope Francis’ comments in support of same-sex civil unions, saying they were taken out of context and do not signal a change in doctrine… the Vatican’s letter claims, the Pope ‘had spoken about the rights of these people to have certain legal protection,’ but not about same-sex marriage. In the film the Pope also says: ‘Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family,’ which was interpreted by some to mean that the Pope was in favor of same-sex couples forming families…
“Francis’ comments differ from his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who made the news when he labeled homosexuality ‘an intrinsic moral evil.’”
Fox News added on November 2:
“Neither the Vatican nor Afineevsky [the producer of the film] have responded to repeated questions about the cut quote or its origin. Francis is known to hunker down in silence when controversy mounts.”
The Vatican’s “clarification” comes rather late and sounds pretty shallow.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.
On November 7, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (November 7, 2020)” and the sermon, titled, “Political Alliance and Friendships Are Useless.”
The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
by Kalon Mitchell
We have all heard the saying, “Lest you forget!” It can refer to a few things. It can illustrate the fact that if we forget history then we’re doomed to repeat it. It can also let us know there are consequences for forgetting something.
At the creation of the Constitution of the United States of America, John Adams, the second president and one of the crafters of the Constitution, said: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
I am going to pull some other quotes from other signers and drafters of the same aforementioned Constitution ( https://www.free2pray.info/6-founderquotes.html ).
Many of the early founders of this nation (although not all agreed with using the Bible as a basis), esteemed the Bible and morality, and for the most part had a firm sense that something concrete was needed in order to grow. And so for many years, there was a strong religious undercurrent in this country. But that is all being swept away with our “modern” times of enlightenment and “wokeness”. It doesn’t matter who wins or loses this election. Neither candidate would help this country to get back on track with obedience to God. People have lost touch—their minds have been given over to depravity (Romans 1:18-32).
In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul describes our unique time. The absolute need for God and His Holy Word, the Bible, in order to lay out morality and Truth, are being swept aside wholesale. Even those who claim to be Christians are keeping false and biblically wrong days (Easter, Halloween, Christmas, etc.). Thereby they show they have no respect for God’s laws.
Deuteronomy 4:7-9 says: “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren…” (Please also read Deuteronomy 8:1-20).
The tendency to forget and to turn away happens quickly. It also happens over generations. Notice in the previous Scripture the reason to TEACH God’s Word to the new generations, was so that they would not lose their way. The prophecies for our modern nations of Israel and Judah (read our free booklet: The Fall and Rise of Britain and America) point out the quickly-coming destruction because of our national turning away from God. How many times have we read in the Bible the lessons of our forefathers, and their constant massive issues all through the Old Testament BECAUSE of their turning away from God?
While we know what is going to happen, and it can be rather frightening or discouraging, we should each take stock that the suffering and the horrible things that are occurring now and will continue to happen with greater ferocity until Christ’s return, will end. There is a time coming soon where it says in Jeremiah 31:33-34: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
by Norbert Link
We report on the American presidential election, increasing violence in the USA related, in part, to the presidential elections; and an insightful article explaining the dilemma of people who take the concept of voting very seriously.
We speak on Europe’s move towards a powerful force; while, ironically and seemingly contradictorily, second lockdowns are announced in the UK and continental Europe. But this only appears to be a discrepancy when we understand that the real goal and motive behind these measures—whether realized or not—is to push people into the acceptance of dictatorships, even though there is at this point growing opposition in the UK and, to some extent, in continental Europe to governmental restrictions and some medical voices are warning against the uselessness or even dangers of lockdowns.
However, if history is a guide, we know that resistance and disagreement will ultimately be silenced and crushed by autocratic governments. A stunning and must-read article by Dr. Ron Paul explains this astonishing movement towards horrible dictatorship and state surveillance and paints a frightening and almost prophetic scenario. Please view our new StandingWatch program in this regard, titled, “Consequences of Mandatory Vaccinations against Corona.”
We also speak on censorship in the USA; a “clarification” by the Vatican on same-sex marriages and civil unions; and a growing movement for mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus.
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
Newsmax wrote on November 5:
“President Donald Trump called out election ‘corruption’ and attempts to ‘rig an election’ in a White House news conference Thursday, setting up a potentially protracted battle in the courts over the counting and the monitoring of ballots. ‘If you count the legal votes, I easily win,’ Trump told reporters in the briefing… ‘If you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us… You have Election Day and the laws are very strong and that you have an Election Day. And they don’t want votes cast after election day, and they want the process to be an honest one – so important. We want an honest election; we want an honest count.’
“Trump said he ‘predicted’ this election chaos with his rebuke of mass mail-in voting… ‘It’s destroyed our system; it’s a corrupt system. And it makes people corrupt, even if they aren’t by nature, but they become corrupt. It’s too easy. They want to find out how many votes they need and then they seem to be able to find them. They wait and wait and then they find them.’
“In a pair of Trump campaign moves Thursday, election ballot counting improprieties have been claimed in Pennsylvania and Nevada, two states that remain pivotal to the president’s path to 270 electoral college votes… ‘They don’t want anybody in there; they don’t want anybody watching them as they count the ballots, and I can’t imagine why,’ Trump said. ‘There’s absolutely no legitimate reason why they would not want to have people watching this process, because [if] it’s straight – they would be here should be proud of it – instead they’re trying obviously to commit fraud. There’s no question about that in Philadelphia observers have been kept far away.’…
“Earlier Thursday, Amb. Ric Grenell claimed the ‘Harry Reid machine’ has led to illegal voting in Nevada, including the casting of ballots by voters who are no longer legal residents. During a press conference in Las Vegas, Grenell and other officials announced their legal action, saying illegal voting practices have occurred in Nevada. Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt noted that ‘thousands of ballots’ have been found ‘in trash cans in apartment buildings.’”
Also, in Philadelphia thousands of ballots suddenly appeared, which were all in favor of Biden, with not one single vote in favor of Trump. This would be more than just suspicious.
The Sun added:
“Speaking from the White House briefing room on Thursday evening, the president lashed out at what he called a ‘fraudulent’ election steered by the Democrats in cahoots with ‘big media, big money and big tech.’”
He apparently alluded to the polls which were all terribly wrong. It has been suggested on FoxNews that they might have been wrong intentionally.
Prof. Alan Dershowitz wrote on November 5 in Newsmax:
“President Trump’s legal team is filing lawsuits in a number of states. Some have better chances than others… no one can be absolutely certain about how the courts will decide cases and controversies brought before them regarding the current election, especially since so many current federal judges were appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the Republican senate. Stay tuned.
“The counting of millions of votes may soon be over, but then we may be looking at the votes of just five people: the justices who could… determine the outcome of this election as they did the election 20 years ago [regarding Bush vs. Gore].”
For more information on this subject, see additional articles below, under the headline, “Trump Speaks of Fraud… Europe ‘Concerned.’”
The Washington Post wrote on October 31:
“A Democrat in North Carolina changed her voter affiliation, scared to be outed in a red state. A Republican in Washington stopped speaking to his Democratic neighbors and lied to pollsters about his support for President Trump, calling himself a member of the ‘silent majority.’
“Across the United States, political signs have been set ablaze, cars have been vandalized and neighborhood scuffles and shouting matches have proliferated in the waning days of the most toxic election season in more than half a century.
“Amid the erosion of political discourse, a fear of retaliation has spread, pitting neighbor against neighbor and squashing the political exchange… Some Americans say they have taken down election yard signs and quit social media over fears they could be physically targeted. The victims are often political minorities: blue voters in red states and red voters in blue states….
“The threats have affected voters from coast to coast. A Pennsylvania family found six gunshots fired through the Biden sign in their front lawn in early October… An Alabama woman with a Biden sign in front of her home told local news she woke up to the word ‘Trump’ spray-painted in bright orange on the hood of her white Honda Civic. A convoy of trucks flying Trump flags aggressively chased a Biden campaign bus recently on an interstate near Austin…
“Trump supporters have been targeted, too. A video circulating online shows a man ripping a Trump flag off a car during a parade supporting the president in Orange County, Calif., in early October. Even the head of the Georgetown County elections board in South Carolina was swept into political tensions when local Republicans said they captured him and his wife defacing a Trump sign. Dean Smith, a 15-year veteran of the board, resigned a few days later…
“For quiet Trump supporters, fears of doxing and other online harassment from digital mobs have muted their political talk. Cities suffering vandalism by far-left actors further their concerns about retaliation for their political views, they said.”
It appears that civil unrest—if not worse—is inevitable in the USA.
The Week published the following opinion piece by Bonnie Kristian on October 30. Even though written before the election, it shows the dilemma which many thinking voters felt. AND, it gives Church members another reason why they should have abstained from voting in the first place:
“On Tuesday or, more likely, sometime in the two months after it, we’ll know who won. And so, as I write my last pre-election column: I don’t want the winner to be Biden. But I do want Trump to lose. I realize, of course, the obvious objection to that pair of sentences: In the race we have, Trump losing means Biden wins. I understand that. I understand, too, the perfect symmetry of partisan conviction that failing to vote for one of these two candidates (whether via an alternative vote or abstention) amounts to a vote for his opponent. I reject that reasoning…
“But this is not a column about how I’ll vote, nor is it some strange attempt to deny the reality that, come January 20, 2021, one of these men will be our president. It is simply my registration of utter discontent with the choice we’ve been offered for the next four years… Part of this is about policy, as both candidates have promised to take actions I do not want done in my name… both candidates have foreign policies I find unconscionable…
“Though each gets some things right, neither shows any sign of rejecting the past 20 years of global military interventionism and implementing a humane and prudent foreign policy where the goal is not American supremacy but peace. To vote for either candidate is to vote for innocents dead, markets turned to rubble, weddings turned to funerals. That we may expect other advantages of one candidate’s victory does not alter that fact…
“In other policy arenas, too, I find some things to like, usually with caveats, and more to vehemently oppose. In immigration and refugee policy as well as criminal justice reform, I’d prefer Biden. On religious liberty and abortion, I lean toward Trump… On health care and fiscal issues, I’ve reached a point of assuming nothing I’d support will ever happen — I’ll be surprised if I live to see a balanced federal budget…”
Some claim, not being oblivious to the obvious shortcomings of both candidates and the policies which they represent, that we ought to vote for the lesser evil. But we would still cast our vote for an evil, wouldn’t we?
Deutsche Welle wrote on November 4:
“German government officials signaled the country’s anxiety on Wednesday about the instability of the US election. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer warned that the US faced a ‘very explosive situation’ and a possible crisis, following comments in which President Donald Trump implied that [he] had won the election… The minister said it appeared ‘the battle over the legitimacy of the result, however it turns out, has begun.’ German vice chancellor and finance minister, Olaf Scholz, echoed Kramp-Karrenbauer’s concern…
“On the tough relationship between Germany and the US in the Trump era, Kramp-Karrenbauer… stressed that regardless of the ultimate outcome of the US vote, Europe would need to become more self-sufficient. Scholz backed the notion, saying that given the developments in the US, Europe needed to strengthen its own ‘sovereignty’ so that ‘a rules-based global order can exist.’…
“In France, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the outcome of the presidential vote will have little impact on US-Europe trade relations, predicting that no matter who wins, Washington is unlikely to drop its confrontational stance. ‘Let’s not kid ourselves: The United States has not been a friendly partner to European states for several years now, Bruno Le Maire told Radio Classique…. ‘The American continent has detached itself from the European continent.’”
Trump said that based on in-person votes, he had won, which is true for almost all states. He questioned the legitimacy of many mail-in votes which gave the victory to Biden in most states.
CBS added on November 4 that “Mr. Trump continued his efforts to undermine confidence in the legitimate vote-counting process on Wednesday… ‘Last night I was leading, often solidly, in many key States, in almost all instances Democrat run & controlled. Then, one by one, they started to magically disappear as surprise ballot dumps were counted. VERY STRANGE, and the ‘pollsters’ got it completely & historically wrong!’ Mr. Trump tweeted, a clear attempt to cast doubt on the electoral process.”
The Trump campaign began its legal recourse by filing lawsuits in Pennsylvania and Michigan, charging massive fraud and corruption by the Democrats, requesting a recount in Wisconsin, and they announced future lawsuits in other states. The campaign also suggested a “national” challenge, meaning that lawsuits might be filed in every state where the results are being contested. During the upheaval between Gore and Bush in 2000 and multiple recounts in Florida, it took the intervention of the Supreme Court and further political maneuverings until a winner was declared in the middle of December, with a victory in Florida of about 600 ballots.
In the words of Future of Freedom Foundation, dated November 3:
“The mainstream pro-Biden media is poking fun at Donald Trump’s suggestion that there could be fraud involved in the post-election receipt of mail-in ballots. Apparently they’re not familiar with the election-theft case of Lyndon Johnson, who would go on to become president of the United States… Johnson election theft took place in 1948, when he was running for the Democratic nomination for US Senate against Texas Governor Coke Stevenson… In the primary election, Stevenson led Johnson by 70,000 votes, but because he didn’t have a majority of the votes, he was forced into a run-off. The run-off was held on a Saturday. On the Sunday morning after the run-off, Stevenson was leading by 854 votes… the day after the run-off election it was ‘discovered’ that the returns of a particular county had not yet been counted. The newly discovered votes were overwhelmingly in favor of Johnson. Then, on Monday more returns came in from the Rio Grande Valley.
“Nonetheless, on Tuesday, the State Election Bureau announced that Stevenson had won by 349 votes… On Friday, precincts in the Rio Grande Valley made [fraudulent] ‘corrections’ to their tallies, which narrowed Stevenson’s lead to 157. But also on Friday, Jim Wells County… filed [fraudulent] ‘amended’ returns for what has become famous as ‘Box 13’ that gave Johnson another 200 votes. [The fraud in regard to the “additional” 200 votes was later confessed to by the perpetrator.] When all was said and done, Johnson had ‘won’ the election by 87 votes…
“Johnson got a friendly state judge to issue an injunction preserving the status quo, after which the Democratic executive committee, by one vote, declared Johnson to be the winner. … So, Lyndon Johnson stole the election and ended up going to Washington as Texas’ US Senator. Ironically, if Stevenson had become the state’s senator instead, Johnson would never have been selected to be John Kennedy’s vice-presidential running mate and, consequently, would never have been president.”
Incredible. But it seems that everything goes in America.
In addition, as the Week reported on November 4, “Democrats’ hopes of winning control of the Senate dimmed as several vulnerable Republicans appeared to have won re-election… Democrats appeared to have held onto their House majority in Tuesday’s election, but Republicans did better than predicted.”
Express wrote on October 31:
“French MEP… Thierry Mariani suggested President Trump’s isolationist policies would serve as a ‘wake-up call’ for Brussels to seek alternatives to the NATO defence system. Speaking to France 24, Mr Mariani said: ‘…there will be a day when we have a common defence or common foreign affairs. For that, we need to have stronger force together and if NATO, little by little, is less present in Europe maybe some country will push the defence effort… I think it’s in the interests of Europe to have less American troops inside the continent.’
“Earlier this year, Mr Trump announced the US would withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany and redeploy them back home or across other bases in Europe. Mr Mariani insisted a second Trump term could help the continent seek more independence from the US and establish itself as a leading power on the international stage… ‘What is my dream? I entered politics dreaming like General de Gaulle of an independent Europe. Europe as a power and not just as an all-the-time ally to America.’”
Exactly what is prophesied to happen.
Boris Johnson announced a second lockdown—the longest so far compared with other European countries. But his announcement is not well received by many in the UK. Note the following articles.
The Sun on Sunday wrote on November 1:
“BORIS Johnson presented a Halloween horror show on primetime TV last night.
“… the human cost of Lockdown Two in cold, dark winter could also make the three-month clamp in the spring look like a walk in the park. Struggling small businesses already hit hard by the first wave will have no pre-Christmas trading to see them through. More firms will go to the wall and more jobs will be lost… many small firms such as hairdressers and nail bars plus local pubs suffered. They will now be pushed to the brink of disaster.
“The cost to the economy will be £1.8billion A DAY and the cost in lives lost to other untreated illness will be huge. Furthermore, how good is the exit plan from this new clamp?… [the consequences of] this lockdown [are] disastrous for Britain.”
Express published on November 1 the following opinion piece of Neil Hamilton, UKIP interim leader and a member of the Welsh Parliament:
“IT is a catastrophe that the Prime Minister has surrendered to the doom-mongering of the SAGE committee. These statisticians and mathematical modellers are more akin to professors of guesswork. There are many real scientists and epidemiologists who disagree with this approach. The signatories of The Great Barrington Declaration have presented a humane, sensible alternative to national lockdowns; however our Government seems intent on pursuing this sledgehammer approach.
“This lockdown will make no difference whatsoever… These measures will serve as an incinerator to the already wrecked British economy. The hospitality sector has barely picked itself up from the blow of the last lockdown; these measures will act as the final nail for many. The human price for this Government’s obsession is already evident… up to 50,000 cancers are going undiagnosed due to COVID and projecting numbers to double in a year.
“If we ever do get a public inquiry about the way the UK have monumentally mishandled this crisis, we will find that more people were killed by Government policy than by the COVID virus. This is a colossal act of self-harm from a floundering Government.”
The Daily Mail published on November 1 the following article by Dr. Tom Jefferson and Professor Carl Heneghan:
“You could be forgiven for thinking that the situation we now face is as clear as it possibly could be – and that it is becoming more dangerous by the day. The virus, we are told, is out of control, that Britain is heading for 3,000 to 4,000 deaths a day by Christmas, and that our hospitals are on the edge of catastrophe.
“Yet we believe the situation is not at all clear. There are only two things about which we can be certain: first, that lockdowns do not work in the long term. They kick the can down the road. The idea that a month of economic hardship will permit some sort of ‘reset’, allowing us a brighter future, is a myth. What, when it ends, do we think will happen? Meanwhile, ever-increasing restrictions will destroy lives and livelihoods.
“The second certainty is this: that we need to find a way out of the mess that does no more damage than the virus itself. We presented just such a plan to the Prime Minister himself more than a month ago…Our strategy would be to tackle the four key failings. We must address the problems in the Government’s mass testing programme; we must tackle the blight of confused and contradictory statistics; we must make real efforts to protect and isolate those who are vulnerable; and we must inform the public about the true and quantifiable costs of lockdown (as if they needed telling)….”
However, the wrong and irresponsible lockdown approach is taken all over the world and especially in Europe, including Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Belgium.
On November 2, the Daily Mail published the following article by Ross Clark:
“It was the Halloween horror no one had been expecting: a series of mind-boggling graphs and charts presented at Saturday’s Downing Press… conference that purported to show the Covid-19 pandemic was out of control and a second national lockdown was needed. But do the graphs and charts really support this?
“[One] chart was designed to show that some hospitals already had more Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave in the spring… Certainly the chart gave the impression that hospitals were already close to overflowing. But the truth isn’t nearly as terrifying.
“For while 29 hospitals are shown on the slide, the full dataset, published by NHS England, actually includes 482 NHS and private hospitals in England – at least 232 of which (and probably more as some entries were left blank) had not a single Covid-19 patient on October 27. This is hardly surprising since official figures showed there were 9,213 patients in hospital with the disease on October 31, compared with 17,172 at the spring peak. Even back then hospitals were far from full and the Nightingale units were virtually empty…
“Chris Whitty unveiled two charts showing where in England Covid-19 infections were increasing, with brown and yellow zones highlighting where cases were up and blue showing they were down. ‘Virtually across the entire country now there is a significant rate of increase,’ announced the chief medical officer. The map, however, begs to differ. In fact, it shows there are 34 districts in England where cases are static or falling… Most remarkably… it reveals that cases have fallen sharply across Merseyside over the past week, and that in parts of Liverpool they have fallen by more than 60 per cent. This is significant because Liverpool was the first part of the country to be placed into Tier Three restrictions…
“One slide… showed ‘the prevalence of the disease has been going up extremely rapidly over the past few weeks’. However, the chart actually suggested that the rate was no longer increasing exponentially, contrary to what Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, predicted in his briefing of September 14.
“… Moreover, the curve is clearly flattening in London, the West Midlands and the South East…”
With manipulated figures, governments successfully deceive a panic-stricken public.
The Wall Street Journal wrote on October 29:
“As governments once again shut businesses across Europe to stop a surge in coronavirus infections, acceptance of restrictions is fading and some small businesses are refusing to cooperate. The sense of a common goal and solidarity with front-line medical workers evident in the spring has given way to frustration among restaurateurs, hoteliers, retailers and other business owners who are rapidly running through their financial reserves.
“This month’s lockdowns are more targeted than in the spring and in some cases come with substantial aid for those affected. Yet they are raising more opposition everywhere, from lawsuits in Germany to riots and demonstrative flouting of the rules in Italy. Restaurants, bars, clubs, entertainment and sport venues will largely close under the new measures. In France, curfews will confine people to their homes. Germany is barring hotels from hosting tourists for a month and banning normally legal prostitution.”
APK Metro added on October 30:
“Mr. Bragato [owner of a restaurant in Berlin] took out a mortgage of €250,000, equal to $292,000, through the first lockdown. He has since invested into outside heating and an indoor air flow system. The restaurant hasn’t had a single coronavirus case amongst workers or friends, he mentioned. The German restaurateur affiliation Dehoga mentioned it was contemplating suing the federal government, saying revenues between March and August had dropped 40% [within] 12 months. A third of 245,000 companies are actually going through closure, it mentioned.
“Berlin bar house owners [successfully] sued… local authorities earlier this month after [they ordered] all bars within the metropolis to shut at 11 p.m.”
It goes beyond just mere discontent or vocal opposition. Note the next article.
The Guardian wrote on November 1:
“Fears of civil unrest grow as people across the continent no longer trust leaders to protect them during the crisis… In tone and spirit, the messages [aired by politicians and governmental spokespersons throughout Europe] echoed those delivered in March, when shock and fear led populations to rally round leaders and consent to restrictions unknown outside wartime. Eight months on, that kind of trust and goodwill is in short supply… there is public exasperation and, in some cases, open rebellion… Across the continent, there is… evidence of people facing dire economic hardship and psychological exhaustion. Earlier this month, a study from the [WHO] reported widespread apathy and reduced motivation to follow public health guidance. The emotional toll of Covid-19 has been compounded by a growing scepticism in the capacity of governments to truly get on top of a crisis that is destroying people’s livelihoods as well as threatening their health…
“After the spring lockdown was eased, the subsequent patchwork of regulations and restrictions hit some workers, and regions far harder than others. The Spanish government’s decision to declare a six-month state of emergency has led to angry protests across the country and a bitter row with the conservative regional government of Madrid, which has accused it of overstepping its powers… A poll following last week’s mini-riots found that over three-quarters of Italians believe there will be more violence in the streets this winter… the summer, local leaders in Marseille complained bitterly that a nighttime curfew and mask regulations had been imposed from Paris without due consultation. Macron’s move to a new lockdown… is already creating new divisions, as those with sufficient means insulate themselves from the worst of what is to come. On Thursday evening, huge traffic jams built up as Parisians attempted to flee the capital and head for second homes before a 9pm curfew…”
In several German states, German tourists were ordered to leave. Such a thing has never happened since Nazi Germany. No more card games (like “Skat”) with three people. Health Minister Jens Spahn: “When there are three, there is one too many.” Austria has prohibited hotels from housing tourists. Austrians are prohibited to leave their houses from 8pm to 6 am. INSANE!
The Associated Press wrote on October 30:
“European countries are calling for the World Health Organization to be given greater powers to independently investigate outbreaks and compel countries to provide more data, after the devastating coronavirus pandemic highlighted the agency’s numerous shortcomings.
“After a meeting between European Union ministers to discuss how the U.N. health agency should be strengthened, German health minister Jens Spahn said Friday the WHO should receive more political support and financial backing for its international efforts to manage acute health crises.”
Giving the thoroughly political left-wing WHO even more political support (whatever that means) is beyond words.
Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 2:
“In the war for the leadership position in the CDU [replacing Merkel], more and more Germans propose a candidate who is not even (yet) on the list: Health Minister Jens Spahn who is just a little bit behind favorite Friedrich Merz.”
At this point the discussion related to in the article evolves just around the appointment of Merkel’s successor as leader of her party [the CDU] in early 2021 and not around her succession as Chancellor which would have to be determined through nationwide elections anyhow in October of 2021.
The Associated Press wrote on November 1:
“Small groups of protesters gathered in Brazil’s two biggest cities Sunday to demonstrate against any mandate for the taking of a coronavirus vaccine, supporting a rejection campaign encouraged by President Jair Bolsonaro. People assembled in downtown Sao Paulo calling for the removal of Sao Paulo state Gov. Joao Doria, who has said state residents will be required to take a vaccine, likely the one being developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac and the local Butantan Institute.
“The CoronaVac, as it is being called, has been a prime target for skepticism from Bolsonaro and others, with the president saying Brazilians will not be guinea pigs to the Chinese. The issue has become a talking point in mayoral and city council campaigns for elections later this month, and as most health professions support vaccination, social media campaigns have raised questions about possible perils of vaccines…
“The president quickly responded that he would not allow the import of vaccines from China. Though the health regulator later gave permission for Butantan to import 6 million doses, on Thursday the president said on his weekly live program that he would not buy the vaccine and that the governor should ‘find someone else to buy your vaccine.’ On Friday, Vice President Hamilton Mourao told the magazine Veja that ‘of course’ the country will buy the Butantan-Sinovac vaccine. Bolsonaro immediately responded that he is the one with the power and he won’t spend on any vaccine that is not approved by the Brazilian health regulator…”
The push towards mandatory vaccination will undoubtedly increase in all the world. Note the next article.
Dr. Ron Paul wrote on November 2 in the Ron Paul Institute:
“The World Health Organization (WHO) recently admitted that lockdowns cause more harm than good. Following this announcement, one would have expected American politicians to immediately end the lockdowns. After all, the WHO ‘s pronouncements are considered infallible, so much so that social media sites silence anyone who dares challenge the great and powerful WHO. Yet, governors, mayors, and other government officials across the country are ignoring the WHO’s anti-lockdown position.
“Instead of admitting that the lockdowns were a mistake, many in the political class, which includes a disturbing number of medical professionals whose positions and prestige depend on government, claim that we cannot return to normalcy until a coronavirus vaccine is in wide use. This suggests that people among the majority of Americans who do not wish to be vaccinated will remain under lockdown or be forced to be vaccinated against their will.
“The assault on our liberty will not end with deployment and use of a vaccine. Moncef Slaoui, the chief adviser of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, a ‘public-private partnership’ in charge of producing and delivering a coronavirus vaccine, has said that those who receive a vaccine will be monitored by ‘incredibly precise … tracking systems.’ Slaoui has also indicated that tech giants Google and Oracle will help the government keep tabs on the vaccinated individuals. So, the vaccine program will lead to an increase in government surveillance!
“Slaoui is just the latest ‘expert’ to endorse forcing the American people to relinquish their few remaining scraps of privacy to stop coronavirus. Dr. Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates have urged development of a digital certificate for those vaccinated for coronavirus. People without the certificate would find their liberty severely restricted.
“Those who think that the new surveillance system will be limited to coronavirus should remember that Social Security numbers were only supposed to be used to administer the Social Security program. They should also consider that the PATRIOT Act’s expansion of warrantless wiretapping was supposed to be limited to stopping terrorists. However, these powers have been used for a wide variety of purposes. Whenever government is given power to abuse our rights for one reason it will inevitably use that power to abuse our rights for other reasons as well.
“Fauci and Gates’ digital certificate could, and likely will, be expanded to include proof individuals have received a variety of other vaccines and medical treatments. The digital certificate could even extend to monitoring a person’s lifestyle choices on the grounds that unhealthy habits make one more susceptible to diseases.
“The digital certificate could also be tied to the REAL ID program to deny individuals who have not been vaccinated the right to travel. It could also be combined with a future mandatory E-Verify system to deny unvaccinated individuals the right to hold a job. Those who consider this ‘paranoia’ should consider Britain is already developing a covid passport.
“Liberty lost in the ‘war on covid’ will not be voluntarily returned when the coronavirus threat ends — assuming the government ever stop moving the goal posts and declares the coronavirus threat is over…”
Dr. Paul’s article paints a terrible scenario, going far beyond George Orwell’s 1984 nightmarish novel, and it is not outside the realm of possibility. The USA is developing more and more into a dictatorship as well, such as Europe is.
The New York Post wrote on November 2:
“California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been barred by a judge from overstepping his powers and making controversial coronavirus directives that could change state laws. Since declaring a state of emergency in mid-March, Newsom has issued more than 50 executive orders over the pandemic — including ones on how people vote in the election…
“Sutter County Superior Court Judge Sarah Heckman on Monday tentatively ruled that one of his orders — requiring vote-by-mail ballots to be sent to the state’s 22 million registered voters — was ‘an unconstitutional exercise of legislative power.’
“The judge also issued an injunction barring the governor from using his emergency powers for action that ‘amends, alters, or changes existing statutory law or makes new statutory law or legislative policy.’”
Fox 11 added: “Newsom used his emergency powers to virtually shut down the state and its economy in the early weeks of the pandemic.”
In fact, he has been trying to do the same again in light of an unsubstantiated alleged “second wave.”
The New York Post wrote on October 28:
“For all their talk of ‘neutral platforms,’ the Big Shots at Big Tech — Twitter, Facebook and Google–… figure they can dictate what Americans get to see and read, and what other media companies must do to reach the public via those platforms. It’s a clear threat to a healthy democracy — and Congress has noticed. On Wednesday, the Senate launched a hearing to investigate ‘Big Tech’s bad behavior.’
“Center-stage: Twitter’s strong-arm tactics to censor the Post ever since we began reporting on Hunter Biden’s emails. First, it froze our account and banned our stories; then, amid a public backlash, it agreed to unfreeze us — but only if we deleted our original tweets.
“Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sounded like every mob enforcer and shakedown artist in history… Sen. Ted Cruz wasn’t fooled: ‘Mr. Dorsey, who… elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report, and what the American people are allowed to hear?’ he thundered… Dorsey tried to claim it was all a mistake that had been fixed, but The Post account remained locked, even as he spoke…
“Besides, if it was an honest error, then why do they only happen to one side? As Sen. Marsha Blackburn noted, Twitter has ‘censored’ President Trump 65 times and Joe Biden zero. ‘There is a pattern of subjective manipulation of information.’
“Nor can Twitter and Facebook, which also moved to suppress The Post’s reporting, claim there’s anything wrong with the stories. Asked if they had any ‘evidence’ of that, Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg both admitted they didn’t…”
On Saturday, it was announced that Twitter finally unblocked the New York Post account. At the same time, Biden satisfied the left-wing mass media (“Biden put the story to rest”) by simply stating that the story about his son was a hoax, instigated by Russia and Trump, and that his son Hunter was an honorable man. The hundreds of published comments in Breitbart to that last statement are more than telling.
The Associated Press reported on November 2:
“A federal judge in Chicago struck down a key immigration rule Monday that would deny green cards to immigrants who use food stamps or other public benefits, a blow to the Trump administration on the eve of the election. In a decision that applies nationwide, U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman rejected the rule that had taken effect recently after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a hold on the policy following lawsuits. Among other things, Feinerman said the rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act, which makes federal agencies accountable to the public by outlining a detailed process for enacting regulations.
“The decision marked the latest turn in a complex legal battle over the rule that has been among President Donald Trump’s most aggressive steps in overhauling the nation’s immigration system. The Chicago lawsuit, filed by the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Cook County, was among numerous legal challenges. Under the Trump administration policy, immigration officials could deny permanent residency to legal immigrants over their use of food stamps, Medicaid, housing vouchers or other public benefits. Green card applicants had to show they wouldn’t be burdens to the country or ‘public charges.’
“Federal law already required those seeking permanent residency or legal status to prove they wouldn’t be a ‘public charge.’ But the Trump administration rule included a wider range of programs that could disqualify them…
“The U.S. Supreme Court decided in a 5-4 vote in January that the rule could take effect, but enforcement was halted by a federal judge in New York because of the coronavirus pandemic. But by September, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had reversed that hold and the rule took effect nationwide…
“The Trump administration has touted the rule as a way to ensure only those who are self-sufficient come to the U.S., one of many steps to try to move the country toward a system that focuses on immigrants’ skills instead of emphasizing the reunification of families. U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services ceased applying the rule to pending applications and petitions after the ruling in Chicago…”
CNN wrote on November 2:
“The Vatican has sought to clarify Pope Francis’ comments in support of same-sex civil unions, saying they were taken out of context and do not signal a change in doctrine… the Vatican’s letter claims, the Pope ‘had spoken about the rights of these people to have certain legal protection,’ but not about same-sex marriage. In the film the Pope also says: ‘Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family,’ which was interpreted by some to mean that the Pope was in favor of same-sex couples forming families…
“Francis’ comments differ from his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who made the news when he labeled homosexuality ‘an intrinsic moral evil.’”
Fox News added on November 2:
“Neither the Vatican nor Afineevsky [the producer of the film] have responded to repeated questions about the cut quote or its origin. Francis is known to hunker down in silence when controversy mounts.”
The Vatican’s “clarification” comes rather late and sounds pretty shallow.
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 two parts of this series, we began to discuss the concept taught by the Roman Catholic Church that the “immortal souls” of departed ones may be in hell or purgatory, and that “indulgences” or prayers for the dead can allegedly remove, partially (“plenary”) or completely (“in full”), punishment for sin, so that their souls can be freed from purgatory or even hell to go to heaven. In order to answer the question regarding indulgences, we reviewed, among other questions, related issues such as the fact that we do not have an immortal soul; and that we neither go to heaven (where we, as immortal saints in heaven, could allegedly receive prayers from the living and intervene on their behalf), nor do we go to hell or purgatory when we die.
Some, however, confuse the concept of the “immortal soul”—which does NOT exist—with Scriptures talking about the spirit in man—which does exist–claiming that, regardless as to whether one refers to the soul or the spirit in man, it would be helpful to pray to God in respect to that “spirit” in man which allegedly does not “cease to exist” when the person dies.
In this instalment, we will therefore explain what the spirit in man is, and that it can in no way be used as an “excuse” or a “justification” for the concept of “indulgences.”
As we have seen, at death, man who IS the soul, dies. But what about his spirit?
We discuss the biblical concept of the “spirit in man” extensively in our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults”. Let us quote the following excerpts from pages 19-23:
“Mr. Armstrong (the former Pastor General of the now defunct Worldwide Church of God and author of many articles, booklets and books, including “The Incredible Human Potential”) explains that, according to the Bible, each human being has a non-physical component in his brain, called ‘the spirit in man.’ On page 81 of his [above-mentioned] book, he points out, ‘[T]his spirit is not the man—only something in the man… This spirit cannot see, hear, or think. The man sees, hears and thinks through his physical brain and the five senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and feeling. The spirit in man imparts the power of physical intellect to the physical brain, thus forming human mind.
“‘This spirit acts, among other things, as a computer, adding to the brain the psychic and intellectual power. Knowledge received in the brain through the eye, ear and the senses is immediately “programmed” into the spirit computer. This “computer” gives the brain instant recall of whatever portion of millions of bits of knowledge may be needed in the reasoning process. That is to say that memory is recorded in the human spirit, whether or not it is also recorded in the “gray matter” of the brain. This human spirit also adds to man a spiritual and moral faculty not possessed by animals.’
“Most people know nothing about the existence of the spirit in man—even many religious people—lay persons and theologians alike. When they read passages in the Bible describing the spirit in man, they assume the Bible is talking about the soul. But the soul is not a non-physical component of the human being. The soul, according to the Bible, is totally physical. The Bible does not teach the concept of an immortal soul. Rather, we read in Ezekiel 18:4, ‘The soul who sins shall die.’ The word ‘soul’ in the Bible refers to the living body of both man and animals. In Revelation 16:3, we read that every living soul—both men and beasts—died in the sea. The soul does NOT distinguish man from animals. Rather, the spirit in man is THE distinguishing factor between man and animals. It explains man’s superiority over the animals and totally disproves the concept of evolution. In Romans 8:16, and in 1 Corinthians 2:11, more fully discussed below, it is expressly stated that there is a spirit in each man, which spirit is different from God’s Holy Spirit.
“In the book of Isaiah we are told that each human being has a spirit within him. ‘Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it’ (Isaiah 42:5).
“We also learn that God sometimes influences man’s spirit for His purpose. We could say that God inspires or motivates a person by ‘stirring up’ the spirit in that person. Note 1 Chronicles 5:25-26, ‘And they [Israel] were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria…He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity.’
“Another example is found in 2 Chronicles 21:16-17, ‘Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians…And they came into Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king’s house, and also his sons and his wives.’
“Later, when God saw to it that His word and promise would be fulfilled to rebuild the destroyed city of Jerusalem and the temple, He inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue a decree, permitting the Jews who were captured in Babylon, to return to Jerusalem. Both 2 Chronicles 36:22 and Ezra 1:1 record what exactly happened. ‘Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.”’ Even King Cyrus realized that God had influenced his spirit to make this proclamation.
“But the work of rebuilding the destroyed temple progressed very slowly. There was a lack of leadership to motivate the people to accomplish the task at hand. Let’s read how God intervened, in Haggai 1:4, “So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel…, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua…and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God.”
“The Bible strongly indicates that God gives the human spirit at the time of conception, and then takes it back at the time of death. We read in Zechariah 12:1, ‘Thus says the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.’ Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, ‘Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.’ When the spirit in man leaves a person, that person is dead. James 2:26 says, ‘For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.’
“Jesus Christ Himself, at the time of His death, cried out to the Father to receive His spirit. What exactly did He say? Let’s read in Luke 23:46, ‘And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.’ When He died, His human spirit returned to God, as we read in Ecclesiastes. Hebrews 12:22-23 also confirms that the spirit of man returns to God in heaven when the person dies. ‘But you have come to… the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem [when we pray, we appear before God in heaven], to an innumerable company of angels,… to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect…’
“In the book of Job, Elihu, under God’s inspiration, tells us, ‘If He [God] should set His heart on it, if He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath [since God gives both breath and spirit, they both belong to Him and are His. But the spirit being talked about here is the spirit in man, not the Holy Spirit, which is altogether different], all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust’ (Job 34:14 and 15).
“When God decided to destroy man in the flood, He made this statement in Genesis 6:3, ‘And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive [or abide] with [or in] Man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”’ What God is saying here is that He would destroy man through a flood within 120 years from then. This spirit abiding in man cannot be a reference to God’s Holy Spirit, as man was to be wiped out because of his own evil doings. We know, on the other hand, that God gives His Holy Spirit only to those who obey Him, as we read in Acts 5:32. So, the spirit referred to in Genesis 6:3 is a reference to the spirit of man, which is temporary. Isaiah 57:16 tells us, ‘For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; for the spirit [of man] would fail before Me, and the souls which I have made.’
“Understand though, that when a man dies and his spirit returns to God, that spirit does not continue to live consciously, apart from the body. Rather, God ‘stores’ it, so to speak, in heaven, until He unites it at the time of the resurrection of man with a new spiritual or physical body. The concept that man’s soul is immortal is as wrong as the concept that man’s spirit continues to live consciously after death. Rather, the body—or soul—dies, and the spirit of man returns to God to await a resurrection.
“Note Ecclesiastes 9:4-6, ‘But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope… For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing… Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished… And verse 10, ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.’ In other words, there is no conscious activity after a person dies. The spirit does not continue in the realm of consciousness.
“Jesus Christ also made it clear that dead people do not continue to live on. Rather, the dead will have to be brought back to life through a resurrection from the dead. In Matthew 22:31-32, He asked the Sadducees, since they did not believe in the resurrection, ‘But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.’ If the dead persons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had somehow continued to live consciously after their death, including a conscious existence of their spirit that had returned to God, then Christ’s words to the Sadducees would have been without sense…
“WHY does God give each human being a spirit? The spirit in man records all the human characteristics of the person, as well as his or her outward appearance. At the time of the resurrection, the spirit of the dead person is combined with a new body of the dead person. This means, all the experiences and memories and ideas of the former life are back in the resurrected individual, and the resurrected person will also look the same way he or she did in their former life…
“When a person dies, his body returns to dust. But the spirit of man in him has recorded the appearance of the person, the personality, the personal attributes, and God gives the spirit of that person back into the newly created physical body.”
There is much more explained about the spirit in man in our quoted booklet on Evolution. But insofar as this Q&A is concerned, it will suffice and we can summarize that the spirit in man has no consciousness apart from the “soul” or the person; and that it will go back to God in heaven when man dies—not to hell or purgatory. Therefore, the concept of the spirit in man cannot be used to justify indulgences and prayers to God for the departed ones suffering in hell or being “purified” in purgatory.
It might also be helpful to briefly address the question as to when the spirit in man begins to exist, and whether it can be destroyed or extinguished.
In our Q&A, titled, “What will happen to the spirit in man of those who die the second death?”, we discussed first the question whether the Bible tells us WHEN God creates the human spirit. We stated:
“Isaiah 42:5 says that God, after having created the heavens and the earth, gives breath to the people on it, and ‘spirit to those who walk on it.’ But there is no breath in a particular person prior to his existence, and by extension, there would not be any spirit either. That is, neither the breath nor the spirit of man exist prior to the ‘creation’ of that particular person. We also read in Zechariah 12:1 that God FORMS the spirit of man within him. Again, this seems to imply that God actually creates in man the human spirit when man comes into existence [at the time of conception].”
We then proceeded to discuss, in the above-mentioned Q&A, the fate of those who did commit the unpardonable or unforgivable sin and who therefore will die the second and final death in the Third Resurrection:
“A strong hint at the final fate of the spirit in man of those who are going to be destroyed in the Third Resurrection can be found in Isaiah 57:16. The New King James Bible translates: ‘For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would fail before Me, and the souls which I have made.’…
“Isaiah 57:16 implies, then, that the spirit in man could fail. But what is meant with the word, ‘fail’? Could it mean, ‘cease to exist’?…
“The Hebrew word is ‘ataph’ and has a variety of meanings. According to Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible, it conveys the thought of ‘to be feeble’ or ‘to be covered.’ The Authorized Version translates this word at times also as, ‘to be overwhelmed,’ or ‘to hide self.’
“Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible states that the word actually means, ‘to shroud, i.e. to clothe… hence (from the idea of darkness) to languish–cover (over), fail, faint, feebler, hide self, be overwhelmed, swoon…’
“It is obvious that very few of these meanings would make any sense in the context of the statement in Isaiah 57:16. After all, it is both the soul AND the spirit that could ‘fail’ or ‘faint.’ We know that the (incorrigible, corruptible) soul, when God contends forever, will die the eternal death and will be extinguished. But what about the spirit?
“German translations point out that the word ‘ataph’ can also mean ‘cease to exist, get destroyed, become annihilated.’ For example, the German Luther Bible; the Elberfelder Bible; the Menge Bible; the Schlachter Bible and the Pattloch Bible all use the expression, ‘verschmachten,’ which is a word describing the death of a person in the desert, who is dying of thirst.
“Some English-speaking translations agree. The Amplified Bible renders Isaiah 57:16 as follows (brackets in the original): ‘… for [where it not so] the spirit [of man] would faint and be consumed before Me, and [My purpose in] creating the souls of men would be frustrated.’
“Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible comments regarding Isaiah 57:16: ‘The simple meaning seems to be, that if God should continue in anger against people they would be consumed. The human soul could not endure a long-continued controversy with God. Its powers would fail; its strength decay; it must sink to destruction.’
“If the concept of ‘dying’ is conveyed in this passage in Isaiah 57:16, then it would indicate that not only the soul, but also the spirit in man CAN be extinguished and cease to exist; and if so, that would have to be the obvious ‘fate’ of the human spirit of those in the Third Resurrection.”
In the next instalment, we will continue to discuss the concept of purgatory.
(To be continued)
Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link
compiled by Dave Harris
“Consequences of Mandatory Vaccinations against Corona” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
While the world and the American people focus on the outcome of the presidential election—and rightly so—this program addresses a somewhat related issue which will affect everyone personally in the very near future—that of vaccinations against the coronavirus. Will these vaccinations become mandatory and be enforced? If so, what will be the consequences for all involved… whether they comply or refuse? In a nightmarish non-religious article, frightening parallels to biblical prophecies are being discussed.
“Politische Allianzen und Freundschaften sind nichts wert,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Political Alliances and Friendships are Useless.”
“Man erntet, was man sät,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “We Reap What We Sow.”
“Hell, Halloween and Hoaxes—Comments on News and Prophecy (October 31, 2020),” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:
What do the concepts of Hell and Halloween have in common? What is the difference between friends and allies? Why so much censorship in the USA? Do we move towards a worldwide economic crisis worse than the Great Depression in 1929? Are those who keep God’s Law heretics? Who is really controlling the upcoming US election?
“Shining in a Dark World,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:
God tells us that we are to abstain from pagan customs and we are not to associate with darkness, but rather be lights in this world. How can we in fact be a light when there is so much darkness all around us?
This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.
Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson
Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank
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On October 31, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (October 31, 2020),” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Shining in a Dark World.”
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by Michael Link
Realizing that our lives are in God’s hands and what the outcome is going to be as God sees fit is hard to grasp at times because we are always put to the challenge whether we allow Him to guide and direct our paths, as opposed to doing things strictly ourselves. But do we realize just how much our lives are in God’s hands? Or do we sometimes forget, not necessarily in an intentional manner, but our minds can get clouded as all kinds of distractions can set in, causing us to lose our focus? When we are affected by a trial, we should be able to see that God has a hand in that situation, directly or indirectly, which is necessary for our road to perfection. We may not think that at the moment a trial has set in, but hopefully we will be able to determine that at some point and realize that there had been a reason for it, which is why God tells us to test ourselves and examine ourselves at ALL times, making sure that we are counted worthy, making sure that our faith is strong enough (2 Corinthians 13:5).
God also has a hand in what is going on in the world. Yes, Satan is the “god of this world” but he does not control everything. And yes, God does allow Satan to do things but God still has the final word. We can see this in the upcoming elections. God will determine what the outcome will be, and we will see what the future will bring. We already know what the future will be like, and NO man can alter the fate of this nation and what it will bring about. No matter how one looks at this, the outcome, as we know it, looks dreadful. This nation will never dig its way out of the hole it has dug. That is until Christ returns to put a stop to all of this, as we read about in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation.
This is no surprise to those who actually understand what the Bible is saying, what the Bible has prophesied for a long time, about the fate of this country, the UK and the commonwealth nations. The current state that this nation is in is the result of a selfish attitude to put matters in their own hands and ignorantly giving into Satan instead of looking to God for help and how we are supposed to obey Him.
What we must understand is that God is in control of this entire situation. He is in control of our individual lives. God is the One who places certain individuals in power to FULFILL His purpose (Daniel 2:21; 4:17) or Who allows Satan to do so (Luke 4:5-6). God is very clear in the book of Hosea, in 13:9-11, as to who is in ultimate control as to who rules a nation. But God does not take pity on those who rebel against His Law, as it says in Hosea 8:1: “Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law.”
Just as God has a specific plan for you and me, He also has predetermined His plan and purpose for all nations, as we read in Acts 17:26: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” Today, the leaders of this world are not in search of the one true God, to have God fight their battles, yet they look to their own reasoning and resources. What about us? Do we look to God in EVERY situation we are faced with?
God the Father has given some of His authority to the “god of this world”, allowing him to rule this earth until Christ returns, but Satan can only do what God allows. The leaders of this world have unknowingly followed Satan instead of the one true God (Revelation 13:4-5). And so have many of the people we may know, including close friends of ours, that have been deceived by keeping the things that God prohibits and thereby not keeping the things that God commands. God’s plan for this nation is quite evident and clearly prophesied. Since we are aware of it, we have to be extra vigilant that we don’t slip up and “forget” His plan and purpose. We still live in this world, and we are surrounded by a corrupt society where we need to be vigilant and not sway into false concepts devised by Satan who wants nothing more than to see us struggle and fail.
Situations will become more severe, and we will have to stand up for what is right despite what politicians and leaders insist on what is “ok,” but which is contrary to God’s Law. We must NEVER leave Him out of the picture, but put matters into His hands (Jeremiah 17:5-8). This is very difficult to do at times, especially in the heat of the moment. We must keep our heads high and look to God for help. It’s not going to get easier for this nation but it’s necessary in light of prophecy and God’s plan, for He states in Jeremiah 27:5: “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me.” Satan may have his glory here on earth, but it is only temporary, for God is in complete control and the end result will be fulfilled victoriously, according to HIS plan.
by Norbert Link
We begin with articles revealing a very troublesome picture of autocratic dictatorship and censorship in Germany, due to unauthorized coronavirus restrictions; and point out similar methods elsewhere, including in California. Regarding the extremely troublesome developments in Germany, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Germany’s Ongoing Descend into Undemocratic Dictatorship.”
We speak on a coming military collaboration between Russia and China; Erdogan’s vocal attacks on France and the USA; and Pope Francis’ controversial statements on same sex unions; his other comments and warnings; and the feud between Francis and Trump.
We also address different scenarios as to what could happen if Trump, who claims that he experienced miracles from heaven, loses the popular and the electoral votes and still proclaims victory; and conclude with a striking analysis that “allies” do not have to mean “friends.”
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
Deutsche Welle wrote on October 21:
“Repeatedly Chancellor Merkel met with all 16 premiers of Germany’s powerful federal states to decide on measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic. After the latest one, last week, politicians across the spectrum began complaining that, for months now, such measures were all decided behind closed doors and without due parliamentary debate or consultation. Among the most vehement critics of this apparent marginalization of parliament is Florian Post, a member of the Bundestag and legal affairs expert with the Social Democrats (SPD), the junior partners in Angela Merkel’s coalition government. ‘For nearly nine months now, regulations have been put in place by local, regional and central authorities which are restricting people’s freedoms in a manner unprecedented in post-war Germany,’ he told the mass-circulation Bild newspaper. ‘And not even once has an elected parliament been called on to vote on the measures,’ he complained. ‘There is no provision in the German constitution for the kind of power-sharing we are seeing between the chancellor and the heads of the federal states,’ Post argued. It is high time for the elected parliament to become more involved in the discussion, he concluded.
“Opposition parties are just as vociferous. ‘It’s simply not acceptable that parliament only hears about the latest anti-corona measures via Chancellor Merkel’s weekly podcast or random press conferences,’ said Christian Lindner, head of the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP.) ‘The Bundestag is being shut out, despite the fact that we’re witnessing drastic incursions into our fundamental rights and freedoms.’
“The Left Party is also calling for parliament to play a more central role in decision-making. One leading party member, Jan Korte, has gone so far as to say that he believes that last week’s controversial meeting between Chancellor Merkel and the heads of the federal states, ‘effectively means that an alternative government is making all sorts of decisions without even consulting parliament.’ The Greens, too, are up in arms. Their parliamentarians at the national and regional levels say they have been disempowered and kept in the dark by federal and national governments…
“Decision making behind closed doors by Angela Merkel and the state premiers was not the only thing to anger parliamentarians. It also emerged that the health ministry in Berlin is fast-tracking efforts to push through both an extension (beyond March 2021) and an expansion of the special rights granted to Health Minister Jens Spahn of the Christian Democrats (CDU). The new version of the so-called and much-cited Infection Protection Act would enable Spahn to issue directives on his own initiative, provided that these, ‘are required for the protection of the population against the danger of serious infectious diseases.’ The new legislation would, for instance, give the minister the power to impose controls on international and national transport systems and issue special regulations for air- and seaports.”
The proposed change of the law to give controversial Jens Spahn unlimited autocratic powers solely based on his own discretion would be “permanent”, according to an article by Der Tagesspiegel, dated October. What the article by Deutsche Welle—predictably—ignores is the fact that the AfD—Germany’s BIGGEST opposition party—is also totally against the dangerous actions of Merkel and Co. However, the next article does quote the AfD…
Deutsche Welle reported on October 28:
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany’s state premiers announced on Wednesday a new partial lockdown to begin on Monday, November 2….
“Restaurants and bars will close, except for take-away. Large events will be canceled again. Unnecessary travel is strongly discouraged. Overnight stays in hotels for tourist purposes is banned. [Meetings or gatherings in hotels will also be banned.] All those who can work from home should do so and employers should ease a transition into working from home. Meetings in public will be restricted to just two households of up to 10 people total. Entertainment facilities such as theaters and cinemas will be closed. Public recreation centers such as swimming pools, gyms and saunas will be closed. No crowds at sports events… Schools and kindergartens will remain open. Church services and protests will be allowed to continue due [to] constitutional concerns. Nursing home residents will be allowed to receive visitors. Shops will remain open, with one customer allowed per 10 square meters (108 square feet). Borders remain open…
“State and federal leaders will meet again in two weeks to assess if the new measures are having enough of an effect, and recalibrate if needed. Merkel promised that firms hit by the new measures would receive economic support. Companies with up to 50 employees and the self-employed will receive 75% of their income in support… According to media reports, a total of €10 billion ($11.8 billion) has been earmarked for support. Larger companies will be reliant on EU rules for assistance and this will vary from company to company. Emergency loans will be made available for self-employed workers such as artists and stage hands, while small businesses with less than 10 employees will gain access to very cheap loans.
“… public mood has been shifting and criticism among the population of government-ordained measures is on the rise… Some of those who vehemently oppose further restrictions are fearful of the economic impact. Many Berlin restaurant owners, for example, have said they would probably have to close down their business if faced with a second lockdown. They have already seen losses after the closure in the spring, followed by rules that forced them to adhere to social distancing regulations and then the curfew imposed last month…
“For many in Germany, the question of individual freedom is at least as important as a thriving economy. Leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is the largest opposition party in the German federal parliament, have been among those [who have been] widely critical of further restrictions. ‘No measures — including lockdowns — have had a demonstrable influence on the infection rate, but the lockdown fantasies of government politicians are becoming increasingly absurd,’ the AfD parliamentary leader Alexander Gauland said in a statement on Tuesday…
“Germany’s relatively strong acceptance of measures up until now may have been key in the low infection and death rates. But surveys show that 50% of Germans believe that efforts by police and authorities to enforce the restrictions have not gone far enough. The challenge is to make sure the German people accept the new measures — and to enforce them. Relying on goodwill and compliance, as the chancellor called for in her most recent video podcast, may not go far enough.”
Deutsche Welle reported on October 29:
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the government’s decision to impose a [partial] lockdown in a tense speech to lawmakers in the Bundestag on Thursday… In a speech that was regularly interrupted by shouts from several German lawmakers, Merkel said the current rate of infection poses a massive threat to the country’s health system… ‘The winter will be difficult. Four long difficult months…’ she said….
“The chancellor also [said:] ‘Lies, disinformation and conspiracy theories not only damage democratic debate, but also the fight against the virus…’
“AfD parliamentary leader Alexander Gauland accused Merkel’s government of ‘wartime propaganda.’ [He also spoke of a war parliament and the corona dictatorship.]”
And so, are we going to see even more violent actions in Germany towards those who are unsatisfied with governmental restrictions? Similar restrictions were announced by Emmanuel Macron of France, shortly after Angela Merkel made her announcements. The French lockdown begins on Friday and will last at least until December 1. Is the USA facing lockdowns too? Fears are there. Note the next article.
npr wrote on October 28:
“Stocks fell sharply on Wednesday as a spike in coronavirus cases in the United States and Europe is raising the prospect of further lockdowns that could hurt the global economy. At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 943 points, a decline of 3.4%, and is in negative territory for the month… Losses accelerated Wednesday afternoon after Germany said it would close down restaurants and bars to contain a surge in coronavirus cases, while imposing other restrictions on social gatherings. Germany’s action comes as the rise in coronavirus cases is leading European countries such as Spain and Italy to declare states of emergency as well as restrictions.
“In the United States, investors had been grappling with a wave of uncertainty that’s already sent the market lower in recent weeks. The White House and Democrats in Congress have struggled to agree on a new relief bill, and the possibility of a contested election makes the likelihood of an agreement even murkier. Now, the coronavirus appears to be surging in the United States as well…
“Global lockdowns severely dented economies worldwide earlier during the pandemic, raising fears of a new hit should the spike in coronavirus cases accelerate… The ongoing slowdown in economic activity is taking a toll on companies, especially those that depend on travel and tourism.
“Boeing said Wednesday it plans to cut thousands of additional jobs through next year because of the decline in air travel. The airplane maker reported its fourth quarterly loss, sending its shares down 4.6%. Losses in markets were widespread, with airlines and leisure stocks continuing to extend recent losses. United Airlines was down 4.6%, while Marriott International fell 3.7%…”
Dr. Fauci declared that we might not see any “normality” until sometime in 2022.
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on October 28:
“Across Europe, supposedly in reaction to rises in the numbers of coronavirus cases, many national governments are imposing increased crackdowns that severely restrict the exercise of liberty. These coronavirus cases are in large part derived from testing that produces many false positives and that is often conducted on relatively young and healthy people who have very little risk of dying or even becoming seriously sick from a coronavirus infection.
“Of course, the European politicians exerting their newly increased power say ‘the science’ supports their tyrannical actions. And they will tend to give platforms to doctors and other scientists who back up those claims while ignoring or deriding the many doctors and other scientists who disagree.”
The next article is a case in point.
Deutsche Welle wrote on October 23:
“Klaus Reinhardt, the president of the German Medical Association… told a talk show on public broadcaster ZDF that he had doubts wearing simple non-medical masks outdoors was effective against the coronavirus. Such face coverings, he said, offered ‘no protection at all’ to those wearing them, and only ‘very little protection against infecting others.’… While Reinhardt acknowledged that masks served a purpose in areas where social distancing wasn’t possible, such as on public transport, he told ZDF that orders to wear them outdoors would be ‘nonsense.’ He also referred to German anti-terror legislation that bars people from covering their faces in open-air public areas for security reasons. ‘And now we have a “mask order”’, he said. ‘It does something to a society…’
Of course, something like this must not be said in panic-stricken Germany. As the article continues to state:
“The response to Reinhardt’s comments was swift, with one member of parliament even calling for his resignation. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Friday he found the remarks ‘from the highest authority in the medical profession’ to be ‘almost shocking.’”
It cannot be what must not be!
The Blaze wrote on October 22:
“Why not just conduct a randomized controlled trial to test whether masks work against COVID-19? Why assume such a draconian and dehumanizing mandate works as if it’s an article of faith and create such division when we can discover which side is correct? That’s what a group of Danish researchers felt, which is why, over the spring, they conducted such a study. So why have the results not been published, three months later? According to [Denmark’s oldest operating daily newspaper], the study has been rejected by three medical journals because the results are too controversial… The article reveals that, thus far, the study has been rejected by the Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA, three of the publications that have been posting much of the research on coronavirus…
“The CDC, prior to changing its position on universal mask-wearing, had previously cited 10 randomized controlled trials that showed ‘no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks.’ Now, the CDC and other elite institutions would have us believe that coronavirus is somehow different… do you think this study shows any degree of effectiveness in mask-wearing against the spread of COVID-19? Remember, this is the only study of its kind. If it truly showed what the media-political-scientific complex wants it to show, why would it not be published expeditiously? This is the most vexing question of our time. Yet nobody seems interested in having a debate or finding out the truth.
“The phobia among the political elites against subjecting mask-wearing mandates to the scientific method is not surprising. In July, Dr. Fauci told a group of Georgetown University students that he has no intention of conducting a controlled study in the U.S…. I’d say the realm of possibilities likely range from no effect at all to making the spread worse! Time will tell, but this ordeal raises a larger question: How many other scientific and academic studies covering an array of very consequential policy questions rooted in scientific debate are being censored because they don’t fit the narrative of the political elites?…”
Sadly, this is SO true!
Daily Mail wrote on October 25:
“Megyn Kelly joined in on excoriating California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday for his extremely restrictive Thanksgiving guidelines, which includes ‘strongly discouraging’ singing at the festivities this year in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. In a tweet posted Sunday morning, the former Fox News and NBC News host listed some of Newsom’s ‘Thanksgiving insanity.’…
“Social media users and public figures were quick to react to the Democratic governor’s announcement on attempts to control how people celebrate the holiday. Comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Rob Schneider took to Twitter earlier this month to insinuate that Newsom is trying to run California like a monarchy by imposing such stringent rules for individual’s personal and private gatherings on Thanksgiving… Adam Carolla, radio personality and actor, also responded on Twitter. ‘How many of you sheep are going along with Newsom’s Thanksgiving protocols?’ he questioned.
“Among the rules announced by Newsom and CDPH are a three-household limit, and an urge to hold the gathering outside and keep it short… The rules also allow for attendees to take off face covering ‘briefly’ while eating their Thanksgiving meal, but requires that while they do so they ‘stay at least 6 feet away from everyone outside their own household, and put their face covering back on as soon as they are done with the activity’ of eating or drinking. The statement concedes that ‘face coverings can also be removed to meet urgent medical needs (for example, to use an asthma inhaler, take medication, or if feeling light-headed)…’ One Twitter user suggested Newsom could be swaying deep blue California voters to cast their ballot for President Donald Trump to gain personal liberties back.”
It is really insane what’s happening in the USA… and elsewhere.
Daily Mail wrote on October 23:
“Piers Morgan has slammed CNN for canceling his interview with the network after he said they and other American news outlets were being biased for not covering a story about a laptop allegedly belonging to Hunter Biden… ‘Last time I appeared on this show, I appeared after I wrote a series of negative Trump columns,’ he told DailyMail.com. ‘They were prepared to take me when I was negative, but not so much when I would be slightly more positive.’
“He added that he believes most media outlets have likely not investigated the story because, if they do, it could lead to revelations that would cause the Democrats to lose the presidential election…
“Morgan told DailyMail.com that CNN spent at least a month asking him to appear on the show. He said he had a ‘weird feeling’ his appearance might be canceled, but he was still very surprised by the move. ‘Maybe they were worried I wouldn’t bash Trump as they wanted, and that’s what my [new] book itself is all about – illiberal liberals who want to cancel anybody who doesn’t suit their agenda,’ he said…
“’I just made the point that it doesn’t matter if you’re pro-Trump or anti-Trump. A major newspaper has published serious allegations, none of which have been denied by Joe Biden or Hunter Biden,’ he said… ‘The fact they’re not investigating is a hyper-partisan approach by the US media,’ he said.”
America’s mass media is mostly run by left-wing liberals who are not interested in reporting on questionable conduct by the Democrats’ presidential candidate. As the saying goes, “One crow does not peck the other’s eyes out.”
JTA wrote on October 26:
“Hours after she was confirmed in a narrow party-line vote in the U.S. Senate, Amy Coney Barrett was sworn in at the White House as a Supreme Court justice. Barrett, a conservative Roman Catholic who replaces Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal Jewish justice who died last month, was sworn in Monday evening by Justice Clarence Thomas at an event where President Donald Trump presided. Barely an hour earlier, the Senate approved her in a 52-48 vote…
“Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican majority leader, rushed through Barrett’s nomination before Nov. 3 elections…
“A number of liberal Jewish groups joined others in speaking out against Barrett, citing evidence in her past statements that she favored overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision upholding a woman’s right to an abortion, and undoing the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature legislation. Conservative Jewish groups and figures, however, indicated their approval of Barrett, saying she would protect religious freedoms.”
With this appointment, the conservative judges have a strong majority on the US Supreme Court.
Newsweek wrote on October 23:
“China has reacted warmly to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that the two nations could one day upgrade their strategic partnership to an official military alliance, thus uniting two of the United States’ top global competitors… The Russian leader explained that the reason such a pact had not already been forged had nothing to do with reservations on either side, but a lack of necessity.
“China and Russia launched a new joint Siberian pipeline in December. The two nations announced last year that they are seeking to double the trade between them, with a goal of reaching $200 billion a year by 2024.
“Russia has also stepped in to fill the gaps in China’s military experience, inviting the People’s Liberation Army to more joint exercises than ever before. Already a customer of Russia’s advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system, Beijing contracted Moscow’s help in developing a new missile early warning system, demonstrating deep trust… ‘We have reached a high level of interaction in the field of military-technical cooperation, and this is probably the most important thing,’ Putin said Thursday… He hinted that there is more to come. ‘There are very sensitive things here,’ Putin said. ‘I will not speak about it publicly now, but our Chinese friends know about it.’
“While the U.S. leads the 30-member NATO Western military alliance, it has, particularly under President Donald Trump, shored up ties in the East with Australia, India and Japan as part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Both groupings have raised insecurities for Moscow and Beijing, who share concerns about the potential deployment of mid-range missile systems, made possible by the U.S. exit last year from the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
“‘The intention and statement of our American partners about the possibility of deploying medium and shorter-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region, of course, cannot but alert us, and, without any doubt, we will have to do something in response,’ Putin said Thursday.”
The Associated Press wrote on October 22:
“Putin’s statement signaled deepening ties between Moscow and Beijing amid growing tensions in their relations with the United States… Russia has sought to develop stronger ties with China as its relations with the West sank to post-Cold War lows over Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and other rifts.”
The Bible shows that there will be a strong military collaboration between China and Russia in the near future.
Israel 365 wrote on October 26:
“Tensions between France and Turkey turned personal as, Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in an address on Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron was mentally unbalanced and required ‘treatment.’ Additionally, Erdogan issued a challenge to the US, daring them to sanction his country…
“The conflict arose earlier this month over a speech in which Macron described Islam as ‘a religion that is in crisis today all over the world,’ proposing legislation to fight ‘Islamist separatism.’ The goal, said the president, is ‘to build an Islam in France that can be compatible with the Enlightenment.’ A few weeks later, an 18-year-old Muslim refugee murdered Samuel Paty, a French high-school teacher, by beheading. [This week, another murder of an Islamist on three French churchgoers occurred.]
“Turkey and France are both members of the NATO military alliance but have been at odds over issues including Syria and Libya, maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean… [Erdogan’s] ire was due to American warnings not to get involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces. Turkey supports Azerbaijan but many are wary, remembering how Turkey perpetrated a genocide against the Christian Armenian at the beginning of the 20th century… He went on to rail against the US disapproval of his acquiring military hardware from Russia. When Turkey made a deal to purchase the advanced S-400 air defense system, the US canceled a deal for Turkey to purchase F-35 stealth fighters that the Russian system was designed to combat….”
Especially the situation between Turkey and the USA is bound to deteriorate drastically.
The New York Post wrote on October 23:
“Pope Francis’ support for same-sex unions being openly criticized by several Roman Catholic leaders in America — who say his recently revealed pro-gay remarks cause ‘confusion and error’ and fly in the face of church teachings. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a frequent critic of Francis, said the pope’s comments should be ‘rightly interpreted as simple private opinions of the person who made them… Such declarations generate great bewilderment and cause confusion and error among Catholic faithful,’ Burke, a member of the Vatican’s highest court, said in a statement Thursday on his website. He added that Francis’ views were contrary to Catholic teachings.
“The pontiff, 83, endorsed civil unions for same-sex couples in a 2019 interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisa. The never-before-seen clip was aired in the new documentary ‘Francesco’… On Thursday night, Televisa spokesman Ruben Acosta Montoya confirmed the pope’s comments in the 2019 interview to the Washington Post and accused the Vatican — which owned and controlled the cameras — of removing it from the segment…
“Bishop Thomas Tobin, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, also agreed with Burke that the pope’s statement ‘clearly contradicts what has been the long-standing teaching of the Church about same-sex unions.’ ‘The Church cannot support the acceptance of objectively immoral relationships,’ Tobin said…
“Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, went even further, calling the pope’s gay support ‘confusing and very dangerous… The church is weak. The church is not clear… We were relying on the papacy to be this beacon of clarity and stability, and it just doesn’t feel clear and stable anymore,’ said Strickland, a frequent critic of the pope.”
In his new encyclical “Fratelli Tutti,” Pope Francs wrote this under No. 138: “We need to attain a global juridical, political and economic order ‘which can increase and give direction to international cooperation for the development of all peoples in solidarity.’”
Obviously, he perceives the Catholic church as such an “order” which can give direction or at least recommend such. In the above-mentioned encyclical, Pope Francis makes the further troublesome comments:
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the possibility of legitimate defence by means of military force, which involves demonstrating… certain ‘rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy’… For these reasons, the Church… does not restrict her mission to the private sphere. On the contrary, ‘she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines’ in the building of a better world, or fail to ‘reawaken the spiritual energy’ that can contribute to the betterment of society… The Church esteems the ways in which God works in other religions…”
Building a better world by using military force?
The National Catholic Register wrote on October 24:
“Pope Francis again returned to the theme of rigidity today, saying those who unbendingly follow the law of God are ‘sick’ and in need of the Lord’s help… He once called those who try to unbendingly follow the Law of God people as having ‘weak hearts’… In June, he said ‘rigid’ people in the Church who tell us ‘it’s this or nothing’ are heretics and not Catholics…
“‘A supposed soundness of doctrine or discipline leads instead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism,’ he believes… He further believes that ‘in neither case is one really concerned about Jesus Christ or others’ and argues it is ‘impossible to think that a genuine evangelizing thrust could emerge from these adulterated forms of Christianity.’”
So, is Pope Francis advocating license to sin? Inasmuch as sin is the transgression of God’s law, he most certainly is.
Crux Now reported on October 25:
“Pope Francis broke tradition again on Saturday, delivering an eight-minute off-the-cuff speech to members of a visiting Spanish delegation against the dangers of ideologies in the midst of a grave economic crisis which, the pope said, could be worse than the Great Depression of 1929…
“To make his point, he spoke about the book Sindrome 1933… This book, Francis said, details the situation Germany faced back then after the fall of the Weimar empire… ‘That marked the beginning of an ideology, the path of the national socialism… In this book the author, very delicately, makes a comparison with what is happening in Europe,’ warning that the continent is today following a path similar to the one Germany followed leading up to World War II.
“The book was written by Siegmund Ginzberg, published in June 2020 and [is] available only in Italian…”
In this regard, the Pope may be right, as we pointed out above. What we see in many European countries today (including in Germany) is clearly a movement towards autocratic dictatorship.
The Washington Post wrote on October 22:
“Over the course of Trump’s tenure in office, few people have cut a more contrasting figure than Pope Francis… two have already squabbled: In 2016, Francis suggested Trump was ‘not Christian’ because of his anti-migrant rhetoric and desire to build walls between nations. Trump reacted angrily at the time, calling the comments ‘disgraceful’ and warning darkly that when Islamist terrorists strike the Vatican, the pope would regret not supporting a Trump presidency.
“The following year, Francis questioned how Trump could be ‘pro-life’ while pursuing policies that broke up the families of immigrants and asylum seekers. In their sole meeting, in 2017, he presented Trump a copy of his treatise on protecting the environment and reckoning with climate change, but that hardly dissuaded the president from withdrawing from the Paris climate accord…
“Former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon… declared the pope to be ‘dead wrong’ and reportedly also advised far-right politicians in Italy to view Francis as ‘the enemy.’… The pope’s views… fit far more easily with the Catholicism of Trump’s challenger, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden…”
Biden supports same-sex marriages. But he also supports abortion. A Catholic archbishop in the USA refused to let him take the mass. What about the pope?
Newsmax wrote on October 24:
“President Donald Trump, raised Presbyterian, now considers himself a ‘non-denominational Christian.’… Trump praised the power of faith and prayer in his recovery from COVID-19, crediting his parents who ‘taught me the importance of faith and prayer from a young age.’ ‘Melania and I have gotten to visit some amazing churches and meet with great faith leaders from around the world,’ Trump added…
“‘During the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak, I tuned into several virtual church services and know that millions of Americans did the same. I said, “There were miracles coming down from heaven.” I meant it — Melania and I are very thankful to God for looking out for our family and returning us to good health.’”
The Washington Post wrote on October 23:
“The answer, if it comes to that, will depend on the response of Trump’s fellow Republicans. It’s one thing if the numbers on election night, or in the days afterward, show Biden winning handily and Senate Republicans make clear they acknowledge that reality. Then there will be no suspense over the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress that will serve as official confirmation of the result. But if Senate Republicans hesitate, waiting to see how things play out, then the responsibility will shift to Republicans in battleground states, where Trump could encourage GOP-controlled state legislatures to overturn their voters’ judgment…
“The result could look like this: A majority of voters in a battleground state — Pennsylvania is one potential example — back former vice president Joe Biden. The state’s Democratic governor certifies that result and approves a slate of electors pledged to support Biden. But the state legislature, controlled by Republicans, agrees with Trump that the results are rigged and approves a competing slate of Trump electors… if state legislatures refuse to accept the certified results of their popular votes, the fight will come to Congress in January. And Republicans — including Mike Pence as president of the Senate — will have to decide…
“If Democrats take control of the Senate, this won’t matter under the relevant statute. The Democratic House and Senate would reject the Trump elector slate from any state where the popular vote went to Biden. But if Republicans remain in control of the Senate, Republican senators would then have to choose whether to accept the certified results of the popular vote in that state or… to declare Trump the winner…”
Unthinkable? We will see…
The Chicago Tribune wrote on October 28:
“In an initial count, the Democrat won by roughly 100 votes. Then an audit found a counting error that put the Republican ahead. Officials launch a recount, but it’s not finished by the December deadline for the Electoral College to cast votes. So the state’s Democratic and Republican electors each declare victory and cast competing sets of electoral votes for their candidates.
“Outlandish? Not really. This happened in Hawaii in 1960, when John F. Kennedy faced then-Vice President Richard Nixon in a high-turnout election marked nationally by voting irregularities and allegations of fraud. This year, as millions of Americans mail their ballots or stand in line well before Election Day, Nov. 3, to make sure their votes get counted, few may be aware of the complex legal machinery that exists to select the next president if things go wrong at the ballot box.
“It’s a complex system of electoral fail-safes that starts and ends with the calendar. It’s also a system where voters don’t necessarily get the final word, at least not directly. For the 2020 election, the states have until Dec. 8 — six days before the Electoral College must meet — to count votes and settle all election disputes. If states can’t figure things out by that ‘safe harbor’ day, the newly elected Congress gains the ability to determine the state’s winner when lawmakers meet to count electoral votes on Jan. 6.
“…Congress passed the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which gave states the ‘safe harbor’ deadline by which they could resolve their own disputes without Congress getting involved. After that deadline, if state officials submit multiple sets of conflicting electoral votes, the U.S. House and Senate must agree on which set to accept. (If the chambers don’t agree, the votes certified by the state’s governor prevail.)
“… Consider Florida in 2000, where the race between the Republican, George W. Bush, and the Democrat, Al Gore, was unbelievably close, leading to an infamous recount as Florida’s Republican secretary of state initially certified Bush as the winner. The race ended after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling, Bush vs. Gore, on ‘safe harbor’ day, that ended the recount… Congress never got involved. It was obligated to accept the results presented by Florida in favor of Bush because the state met the safe harbor deadline.
“In North Carolina, a key 2020 presidential battleground, a state law enacted in 2001 actually spells out how the state would avoid another Bush vs. Gore scenario and ensure that Congress doesn’t meddle with its results. If there’s no certified winner by safe harbor day, the state’s currently Republican-controlled Legislature picks the electors ‘in accord with their best judgment of the will of the electorate.’ The statute adds that ‘the judgment itself of what was the will of the electorate is not subject to judicial review.’”
Try to make sense out of that one…
Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 16:
“A horror scenario is making the rounds these days in both Berlin and Brussels: Should the outcome of the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3 be close, incumbent Donald Trump could declare himself the winner when polls close, even if he is behind in the vote count. He could… claim the presidency… What happens if Donald Trump simply refuses to leave the White House even if he loses the election?…
“[European] politicians and diplomats have made it clear that they see such a… scenario as a very real possibility. Some politicians have even been open about their concerns. ‘I am aware of the danger that, should the results of the election be close, Trump could declare victory prematurely and the U.S. could find itself in a constitutional crisis,’ says Peter Beyer, a parliamentarian with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and the German government’s trans-Atlantic coordinator. Everybody must consider such a scenario, he says: ‘Years ago, such a thing was inconceivable.’…
“Would the EU then dare to declare Trump’s presence in the White House illegitimate, as it did most recently following Alexander Lukashenko’s claim to power in Belarus? ‘If it is blatant, the EU would have to quickly take a position,’ says Elmar Brok, a former long-time European Parliament member with the CDU. ‘It couldn’t act differently than it does in other instances.’”
Some European countries, favoring a Trump victory, would not participate, while others might. How far they would go remains to be seen. Trump did declare repeatedly that the only way he could lose the election would be if massive fraud was involved.
Politico wrote on October 22:
“… the United States has never treated alliances as friendships. For one thing, prior presidents have coerced allies behind closed doors, threatening long-standing partners such as South Korea over their pursuit of nuclear weapons. Similarly, the second Bush and Obama administrations regularly aired grievances with U.S. allies in a bid to pressure them to accede to U.S. interests. For example, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates criticized NATO members for failing to be ‘serious and capable partners in their own defense’; former Secretary of State Colin Powell threatened those who opposed the 2003 Iraq War with punishment and hinted at possible abandonment; and even President Barack Obama accused allies from Europe to the Middle East of seeking a ‘free ride’ on American power while dragging the United States into their own conflicts…
“… the U.S often changed its ‘friends’ for the sake of larger interests. The United States de-recognized its Taiwanese ally in 1979 in order to gain the People’s Republic of China as an ally against the Soviet Union. Likewise, U.S. leaders have had little compunction ending U.S. partnerships with the Kurds. And, lest we forget, the United States’ German and Japanese ‘friends’ were anything but prior to 1945…
“The rhetoric of friendship obscures the reality of U.S. foreign policy to the American people… [it] risks undermining international stability by giving U.S. partners ill-placed faith in U.S. commitments… At a time of geopolitical change, a sounder approach instead would acknowledge the reality that alliances hinge on common interests and, as such, are neither permanent nor inviolate… Ultimately, America’s allies would be foolish to expect that… America would replace self-interest with friendship. Likewise, Americans should not expect their allies to align their interests with Washington consistently…”
Telling… America’s allies (or “friends”?) of today WILL BE its enemies tomorrow.
Politico wrote on September 29:
“French President Emmanuel Macron called for Europe to end its dependency on American weapons systems as he made a renewed pitch for the Continent to take control of its destiny… he made a plea for Europe to take on a more independent and assertive role in the world — subservient to neither Washington nor Beijing… Macron has insisted the only way Europe can exist is by building a third way in global affairs, in which it doesn’t shy away from asserting its interests on the global stage. That would include building up Europe’s defense capabilities…”
A powerful unified European army is clearly prophesied.
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 series, we began to discuss the concept taught by the Roman Catholic Church that “indulgences” can allegedly remove, partially (“plenary”) or completely (“in full”), punishment for sin. We referred to an article that we published in our Update #936, dated August 7, 2020. A recent article by “Crux”, dated October 23, 2020, is worth mentioning in this regard. It has the headline, “Vatican extends time to obtain full indulgences for souls in purgatory,” and continues to read, in part:
“Plenary or full indulgences traditionally obtained during the first week of November for the souls of the faithful in purgatory can now be gained throughout the entire month of November, the Vatican said. Also, those who are ill or homebound and would not be able to physically visit a church or cemetery in the prescribed timeframe still will be able to receive a plenary indulgence when meeting certain conditions…
“The new provisions were made after a number of bishops asked for guidance as to how the faithful could perform the works required for receiving a plenary indulgence given the ongoing pandemic and restrictions in many parts of the world limiting the number of people who can gather in one place… Traditionally, the faithful could receive a full indulgence each day from Nov. 1 to Nov. 8 when they visited a cemetery to pray for the departed and fulfilled other conditions, and, in particular, when they went to a church or an oratory to pray Nov. 2, All Souls’ Day…
“The Vatican decided to extend the time one can receive a full indulgence to include the whole month of November… Typically, only a partial indulgence is granted after the first week of November. The full indulgence traditionally offered Nov. 2 for those who visit a church or an oratory and recite the Our Father and the Creed can also be gained any day in November… Those who cannot leave their homes or residence for ‘serious reasons,’ which includes government restrictions during a pandemic… also can receive a plenary indulgence after reciting specific prayers for the deceased or reflecting on a Gospel reading designated for Masses of the dead before an image of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin Mary, or by performing a work of mercy…
“The church teaches that prayer, particularly the Mass, and sacrifices may be offered on behalf of the souls in purgatory. The feast of All Souls differs from the Nov. 1 feast of All Saints precisely because it offers prayers for the eternal peace and heavenly rest of all those who died in a state of grace, but not totally purified. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, ‘All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.’”
In the last installment, we reviewed, among other questions, the fact that we do not have an immortal soul and that no one goes to heaven when they die. Let us continue with the next error—the belief that people can go to hell when they die. [The related concept of purgatory—the “temporary” stay in “hell”—will also be discussed herein and more fully in subsequent installments.]
The Roman Catholic’s Catechism reads:
“1057 Hell’s principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”
As this is a “brief” summation, let us review a slightly enhanced explanation by the Roman Catholic Church, as follows:
“1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’ The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”
On the Catholic Answers website: https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-hell-there-is, we read the following:
“The doctrine of hell is so frightening that numerous heretical sects end up denying the reality of an eternal hell. The Unitarian-Universalists, the Seventh-day Adventists, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Christadelphians, the Christian Scientists, the Religious Scientists, the New Agers, and the Mormons—all have rejected or modified the doctrine of hell so radically that it is no longer a serious threat. In recent decades, this decay has even invaded mainstream Evangelicalism, and a number of major Evangelical figures have advocated the view that there is no eternal hell—the wicked will simply be annihilated.
“But the eternal nature of hell is stressed in the New Testament. For example, in Mark 9:47–48 Jesus warns us, ‘[I]t is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ And in Revelation 14:11, we read: ‘And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.’
“Hell is not just a theoretical possibility. Jesus warns us that real people go there. He says, ‘Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few’ (Matt. 7:13–14).”
Quite frankly, to quote Matthew 7:13-14 in this context is ridiculous. In fact, the narrow way of keeping God’s Commandments and His Law is in contradiction to Catholic teaching. The 4th Commandment has been “done away with” by replacing the true Sabbath with Sunday. God’s Way is a Way of Life; indeed, it is the narrow way, but the way of the world of which the Catholic Church is a key part, keeps Christmas, Easter and saints’ days which are, in no way, enjoined or even permitted in the Word of God. When one understands the identity of the Catholic Church which is clearly seen in the book of Revelation, it is plain that their ways are that of the wide gate and easy way.
In addition, let us review some of the information in our Q&A, entitled, “Do the Wicked go to Hell?”:
“The concept that the wicked go to an ever-burning hell after their death is nowhere taught in Scripture. In fact, the Bible does not even teach the existence of an ever-burning hell, torturing wicked souls of departed ones for their evil deeds. The concept of an ever-burning hellfire is derived from paganism. Richard Craze explains in his book, ‘Hell, An Illustrated History of the Netherworld,’ copyrighted 1996:
“‘… the old horned gods of the Stone Age people became the new rulers of hell. There was a sort of logic in locating the place of the dead below ground — the underworld — because that was exactly where the dead were buried… The early [nominal] Christians borrowed Hel’s name [the goddess Hel ruled over the place of the ‘lost souls’ in Viking mythology] for their own place of punishment… The early [nominal] Christians borrowed heavily from earlier mythologies, and the generally accepted appearance of Satan is an amalgamation of such things as the horns and shaggy hindquarters of the Greek god Pan, the wings of the Mesopotamian devil Pazuzu, and the scales and dragon skin of the Persian Azhidaahaka… The Greeks borrowed freely from the Babylonians… Pluto, Zeus’ brother, governed [hell] with a merciless severity and subjected his poor guests to the most ingenious tortures… [Others] were consigned to the deep bottomless pit… ruled by Kronos. Here they would suffer eternal torment… sinners were tortured for eternity… The Romans knew exactly where hell was located — underneath Italy. Everything else they borrowed from the Greeks.’
“The author also points out:
“‘… it was the Synod of Bishops in Constantinople in 543 that… set the seal on hell, when they decreed that “if anyone shall say or even think that there is an end to the torment of… ungodly persons, or that there ever will be an end to it, then let them be excommunicated.” And they promptly excommunicated Origen, an early Church father, for saying that he thought hell was finite.’
“It is true that the New Testament speaks about a fiery place, which is translated in some English Bibles as, ‘hell.’ The Greek word for this place is ‘gehenna.’ It does not, however, describe an ever-burning hell, as commonly understand by many. Craze explains:
“‘Gehenna — the place of fire. It is probable that it was named after the place just outside Jerusalem where the household rubbish, including the bodies of criminals and animals, was burnt.’
“Please note the following excerpts from our free booklet, ‘Do You Have an Immortal Soul?’, addressing the concept of a fiery hell:
“‘The word “gehenna” and the very concept of it are derived from the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem in which the corpses of dead people, mainly criminals, would be burned up. It is another expression for the ‘lake of fire’ in Revelation 20:15, in which all who have acted wickedly, and who have refused to repent, will be thrown into, to be burned up or “devoured.” (Remember that Hebrews 10:27… tells us that the wicked wait for God’s fiery indignation that will “devour” them.). That is the “hell” or the “gehenna” fire that Christ is talking about…– “the second death” from which there will be no resurrection.
“‘Those who sin deliberately, wilfully and maliciously, God will resurrect to physical life [please note that they were dead — not in heaven, hell, limbo or purgatory — and that they had to be brought back from death to physical life] to throw them—their physical body and their soul or their “life”—into “gehenna” or the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13-15; 21:8). They won’t burn there forever-rather, they will be burned up. They are the “chaff,” that will be “burned up” with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:12)—that is, no human can quench it. Notice that this fire will ultimately even burn up or bring to dissolution “heaven and earth,” so that a “new heaven and a new earth” can be created by God (2 Peter 3:10-13).
“‘The wicked, such as the rich man in Christ’s parable in Luke 16, will not burn forever and ever, for all eternity, in an everlasting hell fire, but they will be “burned up” (cp. again Matthew 3:12). The Greek word for “burned up” is “katakaio”—conveying the meaning that nothing of what is burned up will remain. We read in Revelation 18:8 that modern Babylon “shall be utterly burned with fire.” The word for “utterly burned” is, again, “katakaio” in the Greek. And we are told that “that great city Babylon [will] be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all” (Revelation 18:21). In the same way, the wicked, such as the rich man in Luke 16, that are [brought back to life from the dead and then] thrown into “gehenna” or the lake of fire [called the SECOND death!], will be “burnt up”—they “shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up… that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Malachi 4:1). They will become ashes under the feet of the righteous (Malachi 4:3); it will be as if they had never existed (Obadiah 16).”
“The wicked will be burnt up in a temporary gehenna fire, to die the SECOND death, from which there will be no further resurrection to life (Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8) — they will not be tortured forever and ever in an eternal hell fire, without ever being destroyed. We need to understand, too, that those who will be burnt up will have committed the unpardonable sin. As it is true in regard to the concept of ‘hell,’ very few understand properly, either, what the ‘unpardonable sin’ really is.”
We have other Q&A’s which cover different aspects of hell and purgatory. For instance, one Q&A answers the question as to what is meant in Revelation 14:11, which states: “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night…” (Recall that the Catholic Church is using this passage to “prove” that the wicked are being tortured in “hell.”) The Q&A is titled, “Would you please explain Revelation 14:11? Does this Scripture teach that the wicked will be forever tormented in hell fire?”
Another Q&A addresses Revelation 20:10, which states, in the rendition of the new King James Bible:
“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” That Q&A is titled: “Would you explain Revelation 20:10? Does this Scripture say that the beast and the false prophet will be tormented in hell fire forever?”
The Roman Catholic Church is also referring to Mark 9:47-48 (see quote above) to “prove” that the wicked, after they die, keep on living in hell “where their worm does not die” and where “the fire is not quenched.” We are explaining this passage in our Q&A, titled, “Please explain Jesus’ saying in Mark 9:43-48.”
A booklet by the (now defunct) Worldwide Church of God from 1972, titled, “After Death… Then What?”, asked the question as to whether there was any life after death. The answer given was as follows:
“Remember what Job was inspired to say? ‘O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come’ (Job 14:13, 14).
“Job knew about the resurrection of the dead. And so does anyone who knows the promises of God. Your Bible speaks in both Old and New Testaments of a resurrection of the dead — a re-creation of life!
“Daniel was inspired to write: ‘And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt’ (Dan. 12:2).
“Later, Christ quoted these same words. Read John 5:21 through verse 29. Jesus said: ‘For as the Father raiseth up the dead . . . even so the Son quickeneth [makes alive] whom he will. . . . Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.. .. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [judgment — margin].’
“Christ spoke of more than one resurrection! Notice the proof. Turn to Revelation, chapter 20. Now read verses 4 and 5. ‘And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them [Greek word: psuche — meaning same as nephesh in the Hebrew] that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.’ And the ‘souls’ John saw in this vision were dead! Notice the proof. ‘But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished’ (Rev. 20:5).
“John saw a vision concerning the resurrection of the just. Christ promises rulership with Him to those who overcome (Rev. 2:26; 3:21), which He will give at His return (I Cor. 15:23; Phil. 3:20, 21).
“The resurrection of the dead was the whole hope — the heart and center of the message — of the early Church. Notice how it completely dominates the sermons of Peter and Paul in early Church history. Read all of the following verses in context in your own Bible. ‘Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up . . .’ (Acts 2:23, 24). ‘This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses… For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself… The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool’ (verses 32-35).
“Peter continually emphasized Christ’s resurrection as proof of the future resurrection of all mankind. ‘And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead…’ (Acts 3:15). ‘Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus…’ (verse 26). ‘… The Sadducees came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead’ (Acts 4:1-2).
“Notice. Peter preached the resurrection. He said nothing about the completely pagan doctrines of a supposed ‘immortal soul’ or going to ‘hell’ or ‘heaven’ when one dies.
“Rather, he emphasized how even David, a man after God’s own heart, was dead and buried (Acts 2:29) and showed the believers that David had not gone to heaven (Acts 2:34), but was waiting in his grave, just as the Bible says, until a resurrection of the just.”
We read in the Word of God that, “For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten (Ecclesiastes 9:5). It is clear from this passage of Scripture that when we die we simply cease, as a human being, to exist. Those who are dead can’t breathe, eat, drink, speak, act, think, or feel anything.
The Bible is clear on this issue—we will return to dust. Because of his disobedience, God told Adam: “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).
When Adam died, he returned to dust and ceased to exist. The same happens to those who die now. “For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust” (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20).
In the above-quoted excerpts from the Roman Catholic’s Catechism, death was defined as “separation from God” or even as “eternal separation from God.” This idea is false. Life and death are opposites. Death is not merely separation from God, while the person is still alive. As we stated in the first installment, death is a dreamless sleep without consciousness. We said: “He will not go to heaven when he dies, nor will he suffer in a purgatory or ‘hell.’ Rather, he is asleep, until Christ awakens him out of his sleep.” We showed above that when we die, we know nothing.
We read in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
When Christ died, He was not merely “separated” from God. He was DEAD—without any life or consciousness. He said in Revelation 1:18: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”
(To be continued)
Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link
compiled by Dave Harris
PLEASE NOTE: All of our recent sermons and sermonettes have been posted following the recent fall Holy Days. These postings may be found at www.eternalgod.org and https://www.ewigengottes.de/
“Germany’s Ongoing Descend into Undemocratic Dictatorship,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
This program will discuss Germany’s continuing unconstitutional restrictions by Angela Merkel and all 16 state premiers, without any involvement of the German parliament. Now, another partial lockdown has been announced by Merkel and her allies, again without parliamentary approval. This has been termed by German politicians “across the spectrum” as “unprecedented” since World War II and as “wartime propaganda.” But this is just the beginning of what is to follow very soon.
“Muss man Gott wirklich fürchten?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Do We Really Have to Fear God?”
“Lohn der Gerechten,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “Reward of the Righteous.”
“Germany’s Democracy under Autocratic Attack—Comments on News and Prophecy (October 24, 2020),” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:
In this special program, we speak on the threat to German democracy and the controversial role of Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn; continue with the second and final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden and its blunders and missed opportunities; address false predictions, as recently announced by Pat Robertson; speak on the mass media’s censorship and suppression of “politically incorrect” issues; as well as the looming Brexit disaster; and we conclude with deeply troubling developments in certain Church of God organizations.
“Are You a Soldier?”, the sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:
Do we consider ourselves to be Soldiers? When we are called as Christians, we also get recruited into the army of God. We are not fighting though in this world’s wars, but rather we are fighting battles that are unseen, against foes that are powerful! How do we do this?
This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.
Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson
Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank
Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.
While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.
Donations can be sent to the following addresses:
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On October 31, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (October 31, 2020),” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Shining in a Dark World.”
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.
Deutsche Welle wrote on October 21:
“Repeatedly Chancellor Merkel met with all 16 premiers of Germany’s powerful federal states to decide on measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic. After the latest one, last week, politicians across the spectrum began complaining that, for months now, such measures were all decided behind closed doors and without due parliamentary debate or consultation. Among the most vehement critics of this apparent marginalization of parliament is Florian Post, a member of the Bundestag and legal affairs expert with the Social Democrats (SPD), the junior partners in Angela Merkel’s coalition government. ‘For nearly nine months now, regulations have been put in place by local, regional and central authorities which are restricting people’s freedoms in a manner unprecedented in post-war Germany,’ he told the mass-circulation Bild newspaper. ‘And not even once has an elected parliament been called on to vote on the measures,’ he complained. ‘There is no provision in the German constitution for the kind of power-sharing we are seeing between the chancellor and the heads of the federal states,’ Post argued. It is high time for the elected parliament to become more involved in the discussion, he concluded.
“Opposition parties are just as vociferous. ‘It’s simply not acceptable that parliament only hears about the latest anti-corona measures via Chancellor Merkel’s weekly podcast or random press conferences,’ said Christian Lindner, head of the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP.) ‘The Bundestag is being shut out, despite the fact that we’re witnessing drastic incursions into our fundamental rights and freedoms.’
“The Left Party is also calling for parliament to play a more central role in decision-making. One leading party member, Jan Korte, has gone so far as to say that he believes that last week’s controversial meeting between Chancellor Merkel and the heads of the federal states, ‘effectively means that an alternative government is making all sorts of decisions without even consulting parliament.’ The Greens, too, are up in arms. Their parliamentarians at the national and regional levels say they have been disempowered and kept in the dark by federal and national governments…
“Decision making behind closed doors by Angela Merkel and the state premiers was not the only thing to anger parliamentarians. It also emerged that the health ministry in Berlin is fast-tracking efforts to push through both an extension (beyond March 2021) and an expansion of the special rights granted to Health Minister Jens Spahn of the Christian Democrats (CDU). The new version of the so-called and much-cited Infection Protection Act would enable Spahn to issue directives on his own initiative, provided that these, ‘are required for the protection of the population against the danger of serious infectious diseases.’ The new legislation would, for instance, give the minister the power to impose controls on international and national transport systems and issue special regulations for air- and seaports.”
The proposed change of the law to give controversial Jens Spahn unlimited autocratic powers solely based on his own discretion would be “permanent”, according to an article by Der Tagesspiegel, dated October. What the article by Deutsche Welle—predictably—ignores is the fact that the AfD—Germany’s BIGGEST opposition party—is also totally against the dangerous actions of Merkel and Co. However, the next article does quote the AfD…
Deutsche Welle reported on October 28:
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany’s state premiers announced on Wednesday a new partial lockdown to begin on Monday, November 2….
“Restaurants and bars will close, except for take-away. Large events will be canceled again. Unnecessary travel is strongly discouraged. Overnight stays in hotels for tourist purposes is banned. [Meetings or gatherings in hotels will also be banned.] All those who can work from home should do so and employers should ease a transition into working from home. Meetings in public will be restricted to just two households of up to 10 people total. Entertainment facilities such as theaters and cinemas will be closed. Public recreation centers such as swimming pools, gyms and saunas will be closed. No crowds at sports events… Schools and kindergartens will remain open. Church services and protests will be allowed to continue due [to] constitutional concerns. Nursing home residents will be allowed to receive visitors. Shops will remain open, with one customer allowed per 10 square meters (108 square feet). Borders remain open…
“State and federal leaders will meet again in two weeks to assess if the new measures are having enough of an effect, and recalibrate if needed. Merkel promised that firms hit by the new measures would receive economic support. Companies with up to 50 employees and the self-employed will receive 75% of their income in support… According to media reports, a total of €10 billion ($11.8 billion) has been earmarked for support. Larger companies will be reliant on EU rules for assistance and this will vary from company to company. Emergency loans will be made available for self-employed workers such as artists and stage hands, while small businesses with less than 10 employees will gain access to very cheap loans.
“… public mood has been shifting and criticism among the population of government-ordained measures is on the rise… Some of those who vehemently oppose further restrictions are fearful of the economic impact. Many Berlin restaurant owners, for example, have said they would probably have to close down their business if faced with a second lockdown. They have already seen losses after the closure in the spring, followed by rules that forced them to adhere to social distancing regulations and then the curfew imposed last month…
“For many in Germany, the question of individual freedom is at least as important as a thriving economy. Leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is the largest opposition party in the German federal parliament, have been among those [who have been] widely critical of further restrictions. ‘No measures — including lockdowns — have had a demonstrable influence on the infection rate, but the lockdown fantasies of government politicians are becoming increasingly absurd,’ the AfD parliamentary leader Alexander Gauland said in a statement on Tuesday…
“Germany’s relatively strong acceptance of measures up until now may have been key in the low infection and death rates. But surveys show that 50% of Germans believe that efforts by police and authorities to enforce the restrictions have not gone far enough. The challenge is to make sure the German people accept the new measures — and to enforce them. Relying on goodwill and compliance, as the chancellor called for in her most recent video podcast, may not go far enough.”
Deutsche Welle reported on October 29:
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the government’s decision to impose a [partial] lockdown in a tense speech to lawmakers in the Bundestag on Thursday… In a speech that was regularly interrupted by shouts from several German lawmakers, Merkel said the current rate of infection poses a massive threat to the country’s health system… ‘The winter will be difficult. Four long difficult months…’ she said….
“The chancellor also [said:] ‘Lies, disinformation and conspiracy theories not only damage democratic debate, but also the fight against the virus…’
“AfD parliamentary leader Alexander Gauland accused Merkel’s government of ‘wartime propaganda.’ [He also spoke of a war parliament and the corona dictatorship.]”
And so, are we going to see even more violent actions in Germany towards those who are unsatisfied with governmental restrictions? Similar restrictions were announced by Emmanuel Macron of France, shortly after Angela Merkel made her announcements. The French lockdown begins on Friday and will last at least until December 1. Is the USA facing lockdowns too? Fears are there. Note the next article.
npr wrote on October 28:
“Stocks fell sharply on Wednesday as a spike in coronavirus cases in the United States and Europe is raising the prospect of further lockdowns that could hurt the global economy. At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 943 points, a decline of 3.4%, and is in negative territory for the month… Losses accelerated Wednesday afternoon after Germany said it would close down restaurants and bars to contain a surge in coronavirus cases, while imposing other restrictions on social gatherings. Germany’s action comes as the rise in coronavirus cases is leading European countries such as Spain and Italy to declare states of emergency as well as restrictions.
“In the United States, investors had been grappling with a wave of uncertainty that’s already sent the market lower in recent weeks. The White House and Democrats in Congress have struggled to agree on a new relief bill, and the possibility of a contested election makes the likelihood of an agreement even murkier. Now, the coronavirus appears to be surging in the United States as well…
“Global lockdowns severely dented economies worldwide earlier during the pandemic, raising fears of a new hit should the spike in coronavirus cases accelerate… The ongoing slowdown in economic activity is taking a toll on companies, especially those that depend on travel and tourism.
“Boeing said Wednesday it plans to cut thousands of additional jobs through next year because of the decline in air travel. The airplane maker reported its fourth quarterly loss, sending its shares down 4.6%. Losses in markets were widespread, with airlines and leisure stocks continuing to extend recent losses. United Airlines was down 4.6%, while Marriott International fell 3.7%…”
Dr. Fauci declared that we might not see any “normality” until sometime in 2022.
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on October 28:
“Across Europe, supposedly in reaction to rises in the numbers of coronavirus cases, many national governments are imposing increased crackdowns that severely restrict the exercise of liberty. These coronavirus cases are in large part derived from testing that produces many false positives and that is often conducted on relatively young and healthy people who have very little risk of dying or even becoming seriously sick from a coronavirus infection.
“Of course, the European politicians exerting their newly increased power say ‘the science’ supports their tyrannical actions. And they will tend to give platforms to doctors and other scientists who back up those claims while ignoring or deriding the many doctors and other scientists who disagree.”
The next article is a case in point.
Deutsche Welle wrote on October 23:
“Klaus Reinhardt, the president of the German Medical Association… told a talk show on public broadcaster ZDF that he had doubts wearing simple non-medical masks outdoors was effective against the coronavirus. Such face coverings, he said, offered ‘no protection at all’ to those wearing them, and only ‘very little protection against infecting others.’… While Reinhardt acknowledged that masks served a purpose in areas where social distancing wasn’t possible, such as on public transport, he told ZDF that orders to wear them outdoors would be ‘nonsense.’ He also referred to German anti-terror legislation that bars people from covering their faces in open-air public areas for security reasons. ‘And now we have a “mask order”’, he said. ‘It does something to a society…’
Of course, something like this must not be said in panic-stricken Germany. As the article continues to state:
“The response to Reinhardt’s comments was swift, with one member of parliament even calling for his resignation. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Friday he found the remarks ‘from the highest authority in the medical profession’ to be ‘almost shocking.’”
It cannot be what must not be!
The Blaze wrote on October 22:
“Why not just conduct a randomized controlled trial to test whether masks work against COVID-19? Why assume such a draconian and dehumanizing mandate works as if it’s an article of faith and create such division when we can discover which side is correct? That’s what a group of Danish researchers felt, which is why, over the spring, they conducted such a study. So why have the results not been published, three months later? According to [Denmark’s oldest operating daily newspaper], the study has been rejected by three medical journals because the results are too controversial… The article reveals that, thus far, the study has been rejected by the Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA, three of the publications that have been posting much of the research on coronavirus…
“The CDC, prior to changing its position on universal mask-wearing, had previously cited 10 randomized controlled trials that showed ‘no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks.’ Now, the CDC and other elite institutions would have us believe that coronavirus is somehow different… do you think this study shows any degree of effectiveness in mask-wearing against the spread of COVID-19? Remember, this is the only study of its kind. If it truly showed what the media-political-scientific complex wants it to show, why would it not be published expeditiously? This is the most vexing question of our time. Yet nobody seems interested in having a debate or finding out the truth.
“The phobia among the political elites against subjecting mask-wearing mandates to the scientific method is not surprising. In July, Dr. Fauci told a group of Georgetown University students that he has no intention of conducting a controlled study in the U.S…. I’d say the realm of possibilities likely range from no effect at all to making the spread worse! Time will tell, but this ordeal raises a larger question: How many other scientific and academic studies covering an array of very consequential policy questions rooted in scientific debate are being censored because they don’t fit the narrative of the political elites?…”
Sadly, this is SO true!
Daily Mail wrote on October 25:
“Megyn Kelly joined in on excoriating California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday for his extremely restrictive Thanksgiving guidelines, which includes ‘strongly discouraging’ singing at the festivities this year in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. In a tweet posted Sunday morning, the former Fox News and NBC News host listed some of Newsom’s ‘Thanksgiving insanity.’…
“Social media users and public figures were quick to react to the Democratic governor’s announcement on attempts to control how people celebrate the holiday. Comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Rob Schneider took to Twitter earlier this month to insinuate that Newsom is trying to run California like a monarchy by imposing such stringent rules for individual’s personal and private gatherings on Thanksgiving… Adam Carolla, radio personality and actor, also responded on Twitter. ‘How many of you sheep are going along with Newsom’s Thanksgiving protocols?’ he questioned.
“Among the rules announced by Newsom and CDPH are a three-household limit, and an urge to hold the gathering outside and keep it short… The rules also allow for attendees to take off face covering ‘briefly’ while eating their Thanksgiving meal, but requires that while they do so they ‘stay at least 6 feet away from everyone outside their own household, and put their face covering back on as soon as they are done with the activity’ of eating or drinking. The statement concedes that ‘face coverings can also be removed to meet urgent medical needs (for example, to use an asthma inhaler, take medication, or if feeling light-headed)…’ One Twitter user suggested Newsom could be swaying deep blue California voters to cast their ballot for President Donald Trump to gain personal liberties back.”
It is really insane what’s happening in the USA… and elsewhere.
Daily Mail wrote on October 23:
“Piers Morgan has slammed CNN for canceling his interview with the network after he said they and other American news outlets were being biased for not covering a story about a laptop allegedly belonging to Hunter Biden… ‘Last time I appeared on this show, I appeared after I wrote a series of negative Trump columns,’ he told DailyMail.com. ‘They were prepared to take me when I was negative, but not so much when I would be slightly more positive.’
“He added that he believes most media outlets have likely not investigated the story because, if they do, it could lead to revelations that would cause the Democrats to lose the presidential election…
“Morgan told DailyMail.com that CNN spent at least a month asking him to appear on the show. He said he had a ‘weird feeling’ his appearance might be canceled, but he was still very surprised by the move. ‘Maybe they were worried I wouldn’t bash Trump as they wanted, and that’s what my [new] book itself is all about – illiberal liberals who want to cancel anybody who doesn’t suit their agenda,’ he said…
“’I just made the point that it doesn’t matter if you’re pro-Trump or anti-Trump. A major newspaper has published serious allegations, none of which have been denied by Joe Biden or Hunter Biden,’ he said… ‘The fact they’re not investigating is a hyper-partisan approach by the US media,’ he said.”
America’s mass media is mostly run by left-wing liberals who are not interested in reporting on questionable conduct by the Democrats’ presidential candidate. As the saying goes, “One crow does not peck the other’s eyes out.”
JTA wrote on October 26:
“Hours after she was confirmed in a narrow party-line vote in the U.S. Senate, Amy Coney Barrett was sworn in at the White House as a Supreme Court justice. Barrett, a conservative Roman Catholic who replaces Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal Jewish justice who died last month, was sworn in Monday evening by Justice Clarence Thomas at an event where President Donald Trump presided. Barely an hour earlier, the Senate approved her in a 52-48 vote…
“Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican majority leader, rushed through Barrett’s nomination before Nov. 3 elections…
“A number of liberal Jewish groups joined others in speaking out against Barrett, citing evidence in her past statements that she favored overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision upholding a woman’s right to an abortion, and undoing the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature legislation. Conservative Jewish groups and figures, however, indicated their approval of Barrett, saying she would protect religious freedoms.”
With this appointment, the conservative judges have a strong majority on the US Supreme Court.
Newsweek wrote on October 23:
“China has reacted warmly to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that the two nations could one day upgrade their strategic partnership to an official military alliance, thus uniting two of the United States’ top global competitors… The Russian leader explained that the reason such a pact had not already been forged had nothing to do with reservations on either side, but a lack of necessity.
“China and Russia launched a new joint Siberian pipeline in December. The two nations announced last year that they are seeking to double the trade between them, with a goal of reaching $200 billion a year by 2024.
“Russia has also stepped in to fill the gaps in China’s military experience, inviting the People’s Liberation Army to more joint exercises than ever before. Already a customer of Russia’s advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system, Beijing contracted Moscow’s help in developing a new missile early warning system, demonstrating deep trust… ‘We have reached a high level of interaction in the field of military-technical cooperation, and this is probably the most important thing,’ Putin said Thursday… He hinted that there is more to come. ‘There are very sensitive things here,’ Putin said. ‘I will not speak about it publicly now, but our Chinese friends know about it.’
“While the U.S. leads the 30-member NATO Western military alliance, it has, particularly under President Donald Trump, shored up ties in the East with Australia, India and Japan as part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Both groupings have raised insecurities for Moscow and Beijing, who share concerns about the potential deployment of mid-range missile systems, made possible by the U.S. exit last year from the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
“‘The intention and statement of our American partners about the possibility of deploying medium and shorter-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region, of course, cannot but alert us, and, without any doubt, we will have to do something in response,’ Putin said Thursday.”
The Associated Press wrote on October 22:
“Putin’s statement signaled deepening ties between Moscow and Beijing amid growing tensions in their relations with the United States… Russia has sought to develop stronger ties with China as its relations with the West sank to post-Cold War lows over Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and other rifts.”
The Bible shows that there will be a strong military collaboration between China and Russia in the near future.
Israel 365 wrote on October 26:
“Tensions between France and Turkey turned personal as, Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in an address on Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron was mentally unbalanced and required ‘treatment.’ Additionally, Erdogan issued a challenge to the US, daring them to sanction his country…
“The conflict arose earlier this month over a speech in which Macron described Islam as ‘a religion that is in crisis today all over the world,’ proposing legislation to fight ‘Islamist separatism.’ The goal, said the president, is ‘to build an Islam in France that can be compatible with the Enlightenment.’ A few weeks later, an 18-year-old Muslim refugee murdered Samuel Paty, a French high-school teacher, by beheading. [This week, another murder of an Islamist on three French churchgoers occurred.]
“Turkey and France are both members of the NATO military alliance but have been at odds over issues including Syria and Libya, maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean… [Erdogan’s] ire was due to American warnings not to get involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces. Turkey supports Azerbaijan but many are wary, remembering how Turkey perpetrated a genocide against the Christian Armenian at the beginning of the 20th century… He went on to rail against the US disapproval of his acquiring military hardware from Russia. When Turkey made a deal to purchase the advanced S-400 air defense system, the US canceled a deal for Turkey to purchase F-35 stealth fighters that the Russian system was designed to combat….”
Especially the situation between Turkey and the USA is bound to deteriorate drastically.
The New York Post wrote on October 23:
“Pope Francis’ support for same-sex unions being openly criticized by several Roman Catholic leaders in America — who say his recently revealed pro-gay remarks cause ‘confusion and error’ and fly in the face of church teachings. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a frequent critic of Francis, said the pope’s comments should be ‘rightly interpreted as simple private opinions of the person who made them… Such declarations generate great bewilderment and cause confusion and error among Catholic faithful,’ Burke, a member of the Vatican’s highest court, said in a statement Thursday on his website. He added that Francis’ views were contrary to Catholic teachings.
“The pontiff, 83, endorsed civil unions for same-sex couples in a 2019 interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisa. The never-before-seen clip was aired in the new documentary ‘Francesco’… On Thursday night, Televisa spokesman Ruben Acosta Montoya confirmed the pope’s comments in the 2019 interview to the Washington Post and accused the Vatican — which owned and controlled the cameras — of removing it from the segment…
“Bishop Thomas Tobin, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, also agreed with Burke that the pope’s statement ‘clearly contradicts what has been the long-standing teaching of the Church about same-sex unions.’ ‘The Church cannot support the acceptance of objectively immoral relationships,’ Tobin said…
“Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, went even further, calling the pope’s gay support ‘confusing and very dangerous… The church is weak. The church is not clear… We were relying on the papacy to be this beacon of clarity and stability, and it just doesn’t feel clear and stable anymore,’ said Strickland, a frequent critic of the pope.”
In his new encyclical “Fratelli Tutti,” Pope Francs wrote this under No. 138: “We need to attain a global juridical, political and economic order ‘which can increase and give direction to international cooperation for the development of all peoples in solidarity.’”
Obviously, he perceives the Catholic church as such an “order” which can give direction or at least recommend such. In the above-mentioned encyclical, Pope Francis makes the further troublesome comments:
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the possibility of legitimate defence by means of military force, which involves demonstrating… certain ‘rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy’… For these reasons, the Church… does not restrict her mission to the private sphere. On the contrary, ‘she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines’ in the building of a better world, or fail to ‘reawaken the spiritual energy’ that can contribute to the betterment of society… The Church esteems the ways in which God works in other religions…”
Building a better world by using military force?
The National Catholic Register wrote on October 24:
“Pope Francis again returned to the theme of rigidity today, saying those who unbendingly follow the law of God are ‘sick’ and in need of the Lord’s help… He once called those who try to unbendingly follow the Law of God people as having ‘weak hearts’… In June, he said ‘rigid’ people in the Church who tell us ‘it’s this or nothing’ are heretics and not Catholics…
“‘A supposed soundness of doctrine or discipline leads instead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism,’ he believes… He further believes that ‘in neither case is one really concerned about Jesus Christ or others’ and argues it is ‘impossible to think that a genuine evangelizing thrust could emerge from these adulterated forms of Christianity.’”
So, is Pope Francis advocating license to sin? Inasmuch as sin is the transgression of God’s law, he most certainly is.
Crux Now reported on October 25:
“Pope Francis broke tradition again on Saturday, delivering an eight-minute off-the-cuff speech to members of a visiting Spanish delegation against the dangers of ideologies in the midst of a grave economic crisis which, the pope said, could be worse than the Great Depression of 1929…
“To make his point, he spoke about the book Sindrome 1933… This book, Francis said, details the situation Germany faced back then after the fall of the Weimar empire… ‘That marked the beginning of an ideology, the path of the national socialism… In this book the author, very delicately, makes a comparison with what is happening in Europe,’ warning that the continent is today following a path similar to the one Germany followed leading up to World War II.
“The book was written by Siegmund Ginzberg, published in June 2020 and [is] available only in Italian…”
In this regard, the Pope may be right, as we pointed out above. What we see in many European countries today (including in Germany) is clearly a movement towards autocratic dictatorship.
The Washington Post wrote on October 22:
“Over the course of Trump’s tenure in office, few people have cut a more contrasting figure than Pope Francis… two have already squabbled: In 2016, Francis suggested Trump was ‘not Christian’ because of his anti-migrant rhetoric and desire to build walls between nations. Trump reacted angrily at the time, calling the comments ‘disgraceful’ and warning darkly that when Islamist terrorists strike the Vatican, the pope would regret not supporting a Trump presidency.
“The following year, Francis questioned how Trump could be ‘pro-life’ while pursuing policies that broke up the families of immigrants and asylum seekers. In their sole meeting, in 2017, he presented Trump a copy of his treatise on protecting the environment and reckoning with climate change, but that hardly dissuaded the president from withdrawing from the Paris climate accord…
“Former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon… declared the pope to be ‘dead wrong’ and reportedly also advised far-right politicians in Italy to view Francis as ‘the enemy.’… The pope’s views… fit far more easily with the Catholicism of Trump’s challenger, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden…”
Biden supports same-sex marriages. But he also supports abortion. A Catholic archbishop in the USA refused to let him take the mass. What about the pope?
Newsmax wrote on October 24:
“President Donald Trump, raised Presbyterian, now considers himself a ‘non-denominational Christian.’… Trump praised the power of faith and prayer in his recovery from COVID-19, crediting his parents who ‘taught me the importance of faith and prayer from a young age.’ ‘Melania and I have gotten to visit some amazing churches and meet with great faith leaders from around the world,’ Trump added…
“‘During the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak, I tuned into several virtual church services and know that millions of Americans did the same. I said, “There were miracles coming down from heaven.” I meant it — Melania and I are very thankful to God for looking out for our family and returning us to good health.’”
The Washington Post wrote on October 23:
“The answer, if it comes to that, will depend on the response of Trump’s fellow Republicans. It’s one thing if the numbers on election night, or in the days afterward, show Biden winning handily and Senate Republicans make clear they acknowledge that reality. Then there will be no suspense over the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress that will serve as official confirmation of the result. But if Senate Republicans hesitate, waiting to see how things play out, then the responsibility will shift to Republicans in battleground states, where Trump could encourage GOP-controlled state legislatures to overturn their voters’ judgment…
“The result could look like this: A majority of voters in a battleground state — Pennsylvania is one potential example — back former vice president Joe Biden. The state’s Democratic governor certifies that result and approves a slate of electors pledged to support Biden. But the state legislature, controlled by Republicans, agrees with Trump that the results are rigged and approves a competing slate of Trump electors… if state legislatures refuse to accept the certified results of their popular votes, the fight will come to Congress in January. And Republicans — including Mike Pence as president of the Senate — will have to decide…
“If Democrats take control of the Senate, this won’t matter under the relevant statute. The Democratic House and Senate would reject the Trump elector slate from any state where the popular vote went to Biden. But if Republicans remain in control of the Senate, Republican senators would then have to choose whether to accept the certified results of the popular vote in that state or… to declare Trump the winner…”
Unthinkable? We will see…
The Chicago Tribune wrote on October 28:
“In an initial count, the Democrat won by roughly 100 votes. Then an audit found a counting error that put the Republican ahead. Officials launch a recount, but it’s not finished by the December deadline for the Electoral College to cast votes. So the state’s Democratic and Republican electors each declare victory and cast competing sets of electoral votes for their candidates.
“Outlandish? Not really. This happened in Hawaii in 1960, when John F. Kennedy faced then-Vice President Richard Nixon in a high-turnout election marked nationally by voting irregularities and allegations of fraud. This year, as millions of Americans mail their ballots or stand in line well before Election Day, Nov. 3, to make sure their votes get counted, few may be aware of the complex legal machinery that exists to select the next president if things go wrong at the ballot box.
“It’s a complex system of electoral fail-safes that starts and ends with the calendar. It’s also a system where voters don’t necessarily get the final word, at least not directly. For the 2020 election, the states have until Dec. 8 — six days before the Electoral College must meet — to count votes and settle all election disputes. If states can’t figure things out by that ‘safe harbor’ day, the newly elected Congress gains the ability to determine the state’s winner when lawmakers meet to count electoral votes on Jan. 6.
“…Congress passed the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which gave states the ‘safe harbor’ deadline by which they could resolve their own disputes without Congress getting involved. After that deadline, if state officials submit multiple sets of conflicting electoral votes, the U.S. House and Senate must agree on which set to accept. (If the chambers don’t agree, the votes certified by the state’s governor prevail.)
“… Consider Florida in 2000, where the race between the Republican, George W. Bush, and the Democrat, Al Gore, was unbelievably close, leading to an infamous recount as Florida’s Republican secretary of state initially certified Bush as the winner. The race ended after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling, Bush vs. Gore, on ‘safe harbor’ day, that ended the recount… Congress never got involved. It was obligated to accept the results presented by Florida in favor of Bush because the state met the safe harbor deadline.
“In North Carolina, a key 2020 presidential battleground, a state law enacted in 2001 actually spells out how the state would avoid another Bush vs. Gore scenario and ensure that Congress doesn’t meddle with its results. If there’s no certified winner by safe harbor day, the state’s currently Republican-controlled Legislature picks the electors ‘in accord with their best judgment of the will of the electorate.’ The statute adds that ‘the judgment itself of what was the will of the electorate is not subject to judicial review.’”
Try to make sense out of that one…
Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 16:
“A horror scenario is making the rounds these days in both Berlin and Brussels: Should the outcome of the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3 be close, incumbent Donald Trump could declare himself the winner when polls close, even if he is behind in the vote count. He could… claim the presidency… What happens if Donald Trump simply refuses to leave the White House even if he loses the election?…
“[European] politicians and diplomats have made it clear that they see such a… scenario as a very real possibility. Some politicians have even been open about their concerns. ‘I am aware of the danger that, should the results of the election be close, Trump could declare victory prematurely and the U.S. could find itself in a constitutional crisis,’ says Peter Beyer, a parliamentarian with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and the German government’s trans-Atlantic coordinator. Everybody must consider such a scenario, he says: ‘Years ago, such a thing was inconceivable.’…
“Would the EU then dare to declare Trump’s presence in the White House illegitimate, as it did most recently following Alexander Lukashenko’s claim to power in Belarus? ‘If it is blatant, the EU would have to quickly take a position,’ says Elmar Brok, a former long-time European Parliament member with the CDU. ‘It couldn’t act differently than it does in other instances.’”
Some European countries, favoring a Trump victory, would not participate, while others might. How far they would go remains to be seen. Trump did declare repeatedly that the only way he could lose the election would be if massive fraud was involved.
Politico wrote on October 22:
“… the United States has never treated alliances as friendships. For one thing, prior presidents have coerced allies behind closed doors, threatening long-standing partners such as South Korea over their pursuit of nuclear weapons. Similarly, the second Bush and Obama administrations regularly aired grievances with U.S. allies in a bid to pressure them to accede to U.S. interests. For example, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates criticized NATO members for failing to be ‘serious and capable partners in their own defense’; former Secretary of State Colin Powell threatened those who opposed the 2003 Iraq War with punishment and hinted at possible abandonment; and even President Barack Obama accused allies from Europe to the Middle East of seeking a ‘free ride’ on American power while dragging the United States into their own conflicts…
“… the U.S often changed its ‘friends’ for the sake of larger interests. The United States de-recognized its Taiwanese ally in 1979 in order to gain the People’s Republic of China as an ally against the Soviet Union. Likewise, U.S. leaders have had little compunction ending U.S. partnerships with the Kurds. And, lest we forget, the United States’ German and Japanese ‘friends’ were anything but prior to 1945…
“The rhetoric of friendship obscures the reality of U.S. foreign policy to the American people… [it] risks undermining international stability by giving U.S. partners ill-placed faith in U.S. commitments… At a time of geopolitical change, a sounder approach instead would acknowledge the reality that alliances hinge on common interests and, as such, are neither permanent nor inviolate… Ultimately, America’s allies would be foolish to expect that… America would replace self-interest with friendship. Likewise, Americans should not expect their allies to align their interests with Washington consistently…”
Telling… America’s allies (or “friends”?) of today WILL BE its enemies tomorrow.
Politico wrote on September 29:
“French President Emmanuel Macron called for Europe to end its dependency on American weapons systems as he made a renewed pitch for the Continent to take control of its destiny… he made a plea for Europe to take on a more independent and assertive role in the world — subservient to neither Washington nor Beijing… Macron has insisted the only way Europe can exist is by building a third way in global affairs, in which it doesn’t shy away from asserting its interests on the global stage. That would include building up Europe’s defense capabilities…”
A powerful unified European army is clearly prophesied.
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.
The Ron Paul Institute republished on October 16 an article by the Strategic Culture Foundation:
“The United States approaches the November 2020 election with growing apprehension, even dread.
“Among the possibilities: Protracted uncertainty about the presidential contest… A disputed outcome, perhaps with Donald Trump and Joe Biden both claiming victory… Violent civil conflict… A color revolution style regime change operation… perhaps culminating in a military coup to remove Trump… and install Biden in the Oval Office…
“For those who have followed events outside the United States during the past few decades, much of this sounds familiar… Once a country gets broken it tends to stay broken… once regime change occurs and corruption is rampant, another shoe drops: foreign vultures descend on the carcass, profiteers who in many cases are the very same people that helped to create the chaos on which they are cashing in…
“As a Senator in the 1990s, Joe Biden was one of the most militant advocates of US military action against Serbs during the breakup of the Yugoslav federation, first in Croatia (1991-95), then in Bosnia (1992-95), and then in Serbia’s province of Kosovo (1998- 1999)… Biden continually called for the US to bomb, bomb, bomb bomb the Serbs while… [he] pushed successfully for sending weapons to the Islamist regime in Bosnia…
“… if Joe Biden takes the helm, we can anticipate a bevy of globalist warmonger appointees that make Trump’s team look like disciples of Mahatma Gandhi… It’s a recipe for wars, regime changes, and color revolutions galore…”
Most predict that Biden will win. We disagree. Trump will stay in power.
The Hill wrote on October 20:
“Televangelist Pat Robertson said on Tuesday that God told him President Trump will win, and more than five years later an asteroid will hit Earth and ‘maybe’ bring ‘the end.’… The 90-year-old forecasted disaster for the country and the world after the election, including civil unrest, at least two attempts on Trump’s life and a war against Israel that will be ‘put down by God.’
“Then, the world will see ‘at least five years or more of extraordinary peace’ before the asteroid. ‘What I think very frankly is the only thing that will fulfill the word of Jesus … is some kind of asteroid strike on the globe,’ he said. ‘It’s sudden destruction. It’s not going to be some nuclear war. We’re not going to be allowed to blow this earth up.’
“Following a description of the asteroid’s damage, Robertson said ‘then, maybe the end’ would come next.
“The televangelist had made similar predictions in the past, saying in 1976 the world would end in 1982. His 1990 book ‘The New Millennium’ anticipated the end of time on April 29, 2007…”
We wonder how God “told” him. His “predictions” have not been that accurate, to say the least, and even though we believe too that Trump will stay in power–and we have said this LONG BEFORE Robertson ever announced his “revelation”–there WILL BE a nuclear war between the USA and Europe, starting the Great Tribulation. Israel will also be defeated by European armies. Asteroids –“stars falling down from heaven” – will strike this planet, but they are not the main cause for its destruction. AND, there will be absolutely NO five years or more of “extraordinary PEACE” prior to Christ’s return. In fact, Christ said that if those days would not be shortened, “no flesh” would be saved alive.
The Washington Post wrote on October 9:
“Slowly but surely, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge keeps pushing the North American and European plates apart, at the rate of about an inch a year. Something similar is happening in geopolitical tectonics. One generation ago the U.S. was western Europe’s indispensable ally. Today… it often looks more like Europe’s ‘foe’ (Trump’s word) than friend. That’s why Europeans, too, are waiting with bated breath for the U.S. presidential election next month. If Trump wins, the transatlantic rift will make another audible crack. If Joe Biden wins, the loudest sound will be the popping of champagne corks. But before long, Europeans will have to admit that the gradual estrangement continues no matter who’s in the White House.
“Transatlantic relations started fraying long before Trump. They almost snapped during the administration of George W. Bush, before Barack Obama restored them a bit. Even that was largely cosmetic. It was Obama, with Biden as vice president, who announced America’s strategic ‘pivot’ to Asia, giving a name to a secular shift in orientation from the Atlantic to the Pacific. And previous U.S. presidents were already complaining — albeit politely — that the Europeans, and above all the Germans, were spending too little on their own armies to be dependable NATO allies, and free-riding on a global commercial system chaperoned by the U.S.
“Trump simply blew the diplomatic sheen and subtlety off these disputes. Like no U.S. president since World War II, he shows disdain for European leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel… According to John Bolton, a former national security adviser, the president might quit the alliance in a second term, just as he has walked out of the Paris Agreement on climate change, the World Health Organization and other multilateral forums…
“Biden… won’t invest in transatlantic defense, either. That’s because every military dollar spent in Europe is one that’s unavailable in Asia. Meanwhile, existing tensions wouldn’t disappear. Like his predecessor, Biden would try to stop a gas pipeline being built from Russia to Germany. He would keep leaning on the Germans and others to boost military spending. He would also insist that they actually use their armies in missions where the U.S. no longer sees its own interests at stake — in the eastern Mediterranean, perhaps, or Africa.
“Above all, any president will expect America’s allies to stand with the U.S. against China. So the more the EU pursues its vague notion of ‘European sovereignty,’ the less valuable for America it becomes. A Europe equidistant between East and West is of little interest to the U.S…”
The deterioration between the USA and Europe is unstoppable.
Bloomberg wrote on October 17:
“President Donald Trump called on Friday night for Joe Biden and his family to be jailed… ‘We’ve learned over the last couple of months: Joe Biden is a corrupt politician,’ Trump said to his supporters, ‘and the Biden family is a criminal enterprise.’
“Trump frequently demanded that his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, be incarcerated over her use of a private email server as secretary of state. It was believed to be the first time he has ever used that sort of attack against the Bidens. The FBI declined in 2016 to recommend charges against Clinton…
“Trailing behind Biden in most opinion polls with the election less than three weeks away, Trump has zeroed in on a New York Post report from earlier this week that highlights documents purporting to show the business dealings of Joe Biden’s son Hunter in Ukraine and China. The Post article… alleged that Hunter Biden introduced a Ukrainian businessman to his father, who has said he’s never talked with his son about his international business dealings…
“The laptop’s hard drive was given to Trump ally Steve Bannon, who gave it to Rudy Giuliani’s lawyer, Robert Costello. Giuliani, the former New York mayor and Trump’s lawyer, gave it to the Post…”
The Daily Mail added on October 17:
“Biden has finally been asked about reports about his son Hunter’s foreign dealings, and responded by saying he had ‘no response’ and furiously slamming the [CBS News] reporter [Bo Erickson] who quizzed him… ‘I know you’d ask it,’ Biden replied heatedly, wearing two masks. ‘I have no response, it’s another smear campaign, right up your alley, those are the questions you always ask.’ … On Thursday night, ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, a former Democratic advisor, sparked controversy when he declined to ask about Hunter’s emails during a 90-minute town hall.”
Quite often, where there is smoke, there is fire…
On October 19, Daily Mail published the following article by Piers Morgan:
“Four days ago, the New York Post published a bombshell report raising serious new questions about presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter’s relationship with Ukranian energy company Burisma. The story, which made startling and apparently damning reading was based on a cache of emails and photos allegedly retrieved from Hunter Biden’s laptop that he had left at a Delaware computer store… the response from Joe Biden so far has done nothing to make me think [the story is] false. Crucially, there has been no denial of the fact that these emails are genuine.
“And if they are, then they raise important questions. The potentially most explosive part of the story is a 2015 email supposedly sent by a top Burisma adviser, Vadym Pozharskyi, thanking Hunter for giving him the chance to meet his dad Joe while he was Vice-President… This is significant because Joe Biden has always vehemently denied ever even speaking to his son about ‘his overseas business dealings.’
“Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates responded to the Post allegation by saying: ‘We have reviewed Joe Biden’s official schedules from the time and no meeting, as alleged by the New York Post, ever took place.’… this sounds to me like a very narrow form of wording designed to allow some wriggle room should proof of such a meeting emerge.
“In another email to Hunter Biden sent by a business consultant in 2017, reference is made to ‘the big guy’ who would receive 10% of equity from a deal with a Chinese equity firm. Others on the email chain have told Fox News that ‘the big guy’ is Joe Biden… the Biden’s camp statement was also very revealing for what it didn’t say: i.e. that the emails are fake, or that ‘the big guy’ isn’t Joe Biden. Without any such denials, we’re inevitably led to the conclusion that they may be real, and if they’re real, then how does Joe Biden explain them without confirming he has misled the American people about his involvement with Hunter’s inarguably dodgy dealings with foreign national firms in Ukraine and China?…
“… the response to [the story] from liberal-dominated mainstream and social media firms has been staggering, terrifying and disgraceful. Just hours after the Post story appeared, Facebook announced it would be limiting its spread on the social media platform while it used independent fact-checkers to verify the paper’s allegations. Even more extraordinarily, Twitter than summarily banned anyone from posting a link to the story, including the New York Post itself. By taking these unprecedented actions, the tech firms were effectively abandoning any pretence at protecting free speech or the First Amendment…
“They were soon joined by the mainstream media who seem way more interested in knocking down the story and unmasking a conspiracy to smear Biden than investigating whether it’s true… US mainstream and social media companies have reacted to this story in an outrageously partisan and deeply sinister manner that is diametrically opposed to how they would have reacted if the name ‘Biden’ was swapped for ‘Trump.’ Shame on all of them….”
Fox News added on October 18:
“The flagging or removal of tweets or other social media posts has taken on a heightened level of scrutiny from conservatives since both Twitter and Facebook last week took actions to halt a New York Post article centered around Hunter Biden – with GOP lawmakers in both the House and Senate decrying the move as censorship and calling on both companies to explain themselves before Congress.”
Breitbart added on October 19:
“Five days after the New York Post published a bombshell story about Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, and the family’s alleged ties to Burisma, the Post remains blacklisted from Twitter for sharing the story. The newspaper has refused to delete its tweets linking to the stories, and Twitter has refused to relent on the Post‘s suspension, despite CEO Jack Dorsey admitting that blocking links on the platform is wrong.”
Free Speech in the USA… gone! Political dictatorship rules the media.
Deutsche Welle wrote on October 9:
“US President Donald Trump has been treated with an anti-COVID-19 drug developed with cells derived from fetal tissue. He called it a God-given miracle cure, but what will his anti-abortion supporters think?… Given the fierce resistance of the Trump administration to research involving fetal tissue, it seems extremely hypocritical that the US leader, who has widespread support from anti-abortion campaigners, has lauded REGN-COV2 as a heavenly gift…
“Just last year, Trump cut federal funding for national research efforts into HIV and cancer treatments based on fetal tissue… In January, Trump spoke at the 47th March for Life, a Washington anti-abortion rally. There, he told activists ‘unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House’ and that ‘every child is a precious and sacred gift from God.’
“REGN-COV2 is not manufactured in human cells, but in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The effectiveness of the antibodies it contains, however, was tested on cells derived from kidney tissue taken from an abortion carried out in the Netherlands in the 1970s. This cell line, known as 293T, has been used in various research labs around the world. REGN-COV2 made use of these cells to produce so-called virus pseudoparticles: virus-like structures that contain the ‘spike’ protein of the deadly coronavirus. Only in this way was it possible to ascertain how effective the antibodies were against the virus…
“The heated debate surrounding REGN-COV2 has once again put the spotlight on an important area of medical research that often uses cells originally derived from aborted fetuses, including during the development of vaccines. Regeneron has not denied using 293T, yet argues that the cells should not be considered ‘human’ tissue as they were grown in a lab… ‘”
Trump later said that he did not know what the doctors gave him…
Sky News wrote on September 28:
“Half a million sharks could be killed for their natural oil to produce coronavirus vaccines… One ingredient used in some COVID-19 vaccine candidates is squalene, a natural oil made in the liver of sharks… British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline currently uses shark squalene in flu vaccines. The company said it would manufacture a billion doses of this adjuvant for potential use in coronavirus vaccines in May.
“Around 3,000 sharks are needed to extract one tonne of squalene… If two doses are needed to immunise the global population, which is likely according to researchers, this would increase to half a million… Stefanie Brendl, founder and executive director of Shark Allies, said: ‘Harvesting something from a wild animal is never going to be sustainable, especially if it’s a top predator that doesn’t reproduce in huge numbers…
“According to estimates made by conservationists, around three million sharks are killed every year for squalene, which is also used in cosmetics and machine oil….”
Sick!
CNN Health wrote on October 13:
“Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson said Monday it has paused the advanced clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in one of the volunteers… ‘Adverse events — illnesses, accidents, etc. — even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies.’…
“This is the second Phase 3 coronavirus vaccine trial to be paused in the US. AstraZeneca’s vaccine trial was paused last month because of a neurological complication in a volunteer in Britain. While the trial resumed there and in other countries, it remains paused in the United States while the US Food and Drug Administration investigates…
“Johnson’s Phase 3 trial started in September. It’s one of six coronavirus vaccines being tested in the US, and one of four in the most advanced, Phase 3 stage…”
Safety is a big concern when a vaccine is finally available.
CNN Business wrote on October 16:
“The British economy has been pummeled by the pandemic. Now, with talks on a new trade deal with the European Union at risk of collapse, Johnson has to decide: Does he try to find common ground with Europe, or walk away? Britain already faces a tough 2021 as the country battles the twin shocks of coronavirus and Brexit. But failing to secure an agreement with the United Kingdom’s biggest export market would amplify the pain.
“Walking away empty-handed — which Johnson threatened to do on Friday — would create disruptions to trade when the transition period ends later this year, shaving more than $25 billion off the UK economy in 2021… That would put the country even further behind on its efforts to recover from the historic shock triggered by the pandemic…”
Britain’s economic downfall has been preordained.
Der Spiegel wrote on October 13:
“Essentially, the only choice now remaining is between an ugly divorce and an extremely ugly divorce… Significant damage has already been done. Since the British voted by a razor-thin margin to leave the European Union four years ago, trade between the UK and the EU has plunged. Prior to the Brexit vote, Britain was Germany’s third-largest export market, but it has since dropped to fifth place. At the same time, British exports to the Continent have sunk by 17 percent in just the first seven months of this year relative to the same time period one year ago…
“Should there be no deal… the government could be faced with having to send soldiers into the streets to maintain order, while the Navy would be sent out to prevent French fishing boats from encroaching on British waters. Because medications could get stuck at the border… there would be a danger of animal diseases spreading through the countryside. Across the country, one in 20 town halls could go broke, leaving millions of people without necessary financial support….
“Thus far, 5,000 officials have handled 50 million customs documents a year… After Brexit, there will be an increase of around 220 million declarations, meaning that the customs office would require tens of thousands of additional agents… Many EU haulers… could completely eliminate Britain from their schedules…”
This does not sound good for Britain. God is in the process of punishing Britain for their many sins.
Express wrote on October 18:
“Emmanuel Macron reacted furiously to Boris Johnson’s claims that trade talks are ‘over’ between the UK and EU. Mr Macron has played hardball in the talks on fisheries, insisting on Thursday that French fishermen would ‘not be sacrificed’ for the sake of a deal. However, if the UK leaves the EU without a deal then French fishermen could face being banned from British waters.
“In response, the French President has signalled the EU would launch a devastating energy embargo against the UK unless Boris Johnson gives in on fisheries. Following the EU summit in Brussels on Friday, Mr Macron told French radio that if the UK does not allow French fishermen in its waters, the EU would have to block the UK’s energy supplies to the European market. He suggested the right to fish in British waters was worth 650 million euros to EU fishermen, but that access to European energy markets was worth up to £2.3billion (€2.5bn) to the UK.”
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on September 26:
“YouTube… inexplicably removed our Ron Paul Liberty Report from 23 September, titled ‘Covid Whistleblowers Expose Narrative As ‘Total Fraud,'” and officially delivered a ‘warning’ to the Ron Paul Liberty Report You Tube channel. They claimed in the notice that the program… violated their ‘community guidelines’ regarding ‘spam, deceptive practices, and scams.’
“We are in danger of having our entire channel removed if we continue in these prohibited activities, they warned…
“Dr. Paul sent an appeal asking for specific clarification as to what in the program violated their ‘community standards.’… YouTube [answered that they] simply do not allow ‘content that explicitly disputes the efficacy of the World Health Organization’– a United Nations bureaucratic body that has absolutely no idea what to do about the Covid health problem. One week you must wear masks, the next week you don’t need them, etc. But don’t dare criticize them… the World Health Organization is not even led by a doctor, but by a violent Ethiopian communist politician…
“It seems bizarre in what so many love to claim is the ‘freest country on earth’… that anyone challenging the prevailing mainstream media/US government narrative on Covid… must be silenced…”
And this in the land of the free?
Star Tribune wrote on September 25:
“Twin Cities priest… Robert Altier had delivered a 20-minute sermon Sept. 6, claiming COVID-19 was concocted in laboratories in the United States and China and that it was a ‘lie’ that tens of thousands of people are dying from it… Archbishop Bernard Hebda announced that he had spoken with Altier and told him such issues were not appropriate for a sermon…
“Altier had argued that the virus was made in a lab, that a 2020 global pandemic preparation exercise revealed previous knowledge of the virus, that masks caused bacterial infections and that death figures were grossly inflated… The sermon, entitled ‘The Coronavirus: the Truth Revealed,’ has been pulled from the website of Altier’s church, the Church of St. Raphael in Crystal… Altier is a priest well-known among conservative Catholics…”
Some of his comments might be controversial or even far-fetched… others would not be… But still, he is not allowed to say these things in the Catholic Church? Sadly, this ungodly approach is even taken by some Sabbath-keeping Church of God organizations.
The Guardian wrote on October 21:
“Pope Francis has given his most explicit support to same-sex civil unions in a move that is likely to further enrage his conservative opponents in the Catholic church… He said: ‘Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family… What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.’…
“James Martin, a prominent Jesuit who has argued that the church should be more welcoming to LGBT people, wrote on Twitter: ‘Pope Francis’s support for same-sex civil unions is a major step forward in the church’s support of LGBTQ people. It is in keeping with his pastoral approach to LGBT people, including LGBT Catholics, and sends a strong signal to countries where the church has opposed such laws.’
“A spokesperson for António Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations and a devout Catholic, said the pope’s comments were ‘a very positive move’…
“According to traditional church teaching, marriage can only be between a man and a woman, and the church has opposed legal recognition of same-sex unions. In 2003, a Vatican document set out why it was ‘necessary to oppose legal recognition of homosexual unions’ because they ‘obscure certain basic moral values and cause a devaluation of the institution of marriage’. Pope Francis’s conservative opponents have been infuriated by statements that they regard as part of an effort to shift the church towards progressive values. Some have publicly attacked him, even accusing him of heresy.”
The Bible is clear that homosexual conduct is sinful.
The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 16:
“Catholics and Jews asked U.S. courts on Thursday to overturn New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s order limiting worship to no more than 10 congregants in communities hard hit by the coronavirus, calling the measure a threat to religious freedom… In a 33-page complaint, laced with historical references to persecution, three Orthodox Jewish congregations told a U.S. District Court in Manhattan that Cuomo had outlawed ‘all but the most minimal communal religious worship.’…
“In the Catholic case, Bishop Raymond Chappetto… said weekly Mass was obligatory for Catholics and it was ‘absolutely essential’ that they be there in person.”
Israel 365 News added on October 14:
“Cuomo threatened to close synagogues. He did not threaten to close mosques. Nor did he display any pictures of mass Muslim religious gatherings. Instead, he found a photo of a Jewish funeral from 2006 to suggest that Jews were spreading the coronavirus… The differing treatment meted out to Orthodox Jewish and Shi’ite Muslim religious gatherings is a troubling demonstration of how anti-Semitism is baked into the intersectionality of the left.”
In an almost conspiratorial fashion, the German government is contemplating limiting worship services to 10 people in attendance. It is also considering passing a law which would grant ambitious Health Minister Jens Spahn [who has now been allegedly tested positive for the coronavirus and went into strict isolation] unlimited sole autocratic powers to fight the coronavirus. Merkel also appealed to Germans to stay at home, if possible.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 13:
“ABC News published an article on a forecast by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report was dire but even more shocking was the illustrative image which prominently featured Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews, implying that Jews, more than any other group, are responsible for the continuing pandemic… No studies have linked the spread of the coronavirus to Jewish communities nor have there been any studies showing that Jews, secular or religious, are especially hard-hit by the pandemic…
“There are many historical precedents for blaming Jews for pandemics but the worst case took place during the global Black Death pandemic in the 14th Century. During the Black Death in Europe from 1348 to 1351, Jews were blamed for the pandemic that killed over 100 million people, nearly half the population of Europe. This led to countless pogroms and at least 510 Jewish communities were destroyed in this period. In many cities, the civil authorities either did little to protect the Jewish communities or actually abetted the rioters. The pogroms motivated by the plague continued until 20 years after the plague disappeared. These accusations were revived at the outbreak of the current pandemic by private citizens as well as governments.”
The truth is that the pandemic started in China and was exported from there into all the world. President Trump stated recently that the USA will not forget what China did to it.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 17:
“In a growing sentiment against the use of masks, Dr Vladamir (Zev) Zelenko, the Ultra-orthodox Jewish physician who was famous for publicizing the use of Hydroxchloroquine against covid, now says that face masks are useless against the spread of coronavirus.
“In a tweet on Monday, the New York based doctor took to twitter exposing the truth about masks saying: ‘The government is trying to shut our mouths and cover our faces with masks. No basis in science. Covid-19 is around 0.1 microns. Masks block particles of more than 0.4 microns. In other words, masks don’t stop covid. End the tyranny and lies.’
“He then cited a study demonstrating the uselessness of masks blasting those who refuse to review the science and data recorded in the publication. [He] is in the midst of planning a class action lawsuit against Twitter for censoring his account…”
More and more studies have proven the utter uselessness and even danger of wearing masks.
Fox News wrote on October 18:
“Twitter removed a tweet from top White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas for questioning the effectiveness of masks in combatting COVID-19. Atlas’ tweet read ‘Masks work? NO’ and preceded several others that questioned the use of face coverings in preventing the spread of the coronavirus… In a statement to the Hill, Twitter said the doctor’s tweet ‘was in violation of our COVID-19 Misleading Information Policy’ that ‘prohibits sharing false or misleading content related to COVID-19 which could lead to harm.’
“… The removal of Atlas’ tweet is the latest in a series of actions the company has taken to either remove or flag posts by members of the Trump administration, including the president himself, that it says are misleading or false when it comes to issues ranging from the coronavirus pandemic to the upcoming presidential election.
“Twitter’s removal of Atlas’ tweet is also not the first time the medical professional has run afoul of big tech. In September, a video of Atlas questioning the need for universal social distancing measures was removed from YouTube for violating community standards.
“Atlas, who supports a full reopening of the economy, filmed an in-depth interview with the Hoover Institution where he discussed the possibility of allowing natural immunities to control the virus. Atlas lashed out at the massive video platform during an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson – saying that YouTube was ‘censoring science.’ ‘It’s a disaster,’ Atlas said. ‘We’ve already seen the near obstruction of journalism. When you start censoring science you are removing fact, removing the basic way that we decide what is truth [and] what is not. This has been done I think historically in various countries and you know, we are sort of teetering on the edge of what is done in third world countries — the countries we used to be proudly distinguished from,’ Atlas said….”
Incredible, and this kind of censorship is very dangerous and mind-controlling… bordering on brainwashing gullible people.
BGR wrote on October 11:
“As recently as July, the World Health Organization was still scaring people around the world… by saying that ‘total lockdown’ might be needed to nip the COVID-19 pandemic in the bud in some places…
“The WHO was warning countries at that point that they should only very ‘slowly’ come out of any coronavirus lockdown they’d imposed, and that every nation around the world needed to answer the ‘fundamental question’ for itself as to when and how (and whether) there might be a need for another future lockdown period…
“[The WHO’s] new position on lockdowns as a means of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is quite different — and will come as cold comfort to anyone who was lucky enough to have avoided the virus but whose life has been wrecked by the ensuing lockdowns and their follow-on effects. Not only is the WHO now sounding a warning about the negative effects associated with too-harsh lockdowns, which have wrecked businesses and livelihoods in countless cities, states, and countries — but a WHO official in a new interview is actively recommending against them.
“Dr. David Nabarro, a ‘special envoy’ of the WHO’s director-general, said in an interview with the British magazine The Spectator that restrictions like lockdowns should really only be a last resort — if even that… ‘Too many restrictions damage people’s livelihoods and provoke resentment…’
“One of the only things these coronavirus lockdowns are really good at, Nabarro told The Spectator, is ‘making poor people an awful lot poorer.’ It may even be that we see a doubling of world poverty next year, he lamented.”
But through unconscionable recommendations by the WHO and the ridiculous restrictions of ignorant governmental officials, millions upon millions of lives have been destroyed. And the panic-stricken nonsense is still ongoing.
Just the News wrote on September 27:
“South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has declined to lock down her state amid the coronavirus pandemic even as other government leaders around the nation issued restrictions that significantly throttled the U.S. economy. She said that she listened both to health officials and to individuals who informed her about the bounds of her gubernatorial authorities. ‘I know that when you have a leader overstep their authority in a time of crisis, that’s really when you lose this country. And I didn’t want to be guilty of doing that… So I never issued a shelter-in-place, I never closed a business. I didn’t even define an essential business … because I don’t have the authority to do that.’’
“Noem remarked that she spoke ‘with governors on conference calls all over this country about that and they had some of the same information that I had yet made completely different decisions.’ She said that she believes fear played a key role during the beginning of the pandemic, though more recently politics have been involved. During conference calls earlier during the coronavirus crisis… she found that fear was driving people’s actions… ‘I was shocked and amazed by how fear controlled people and how emotional that they were. And to me it indicated that in this country we’ve lost faith and the steadfast promise of God’s faithfulness in our life every day has real consequences. If you don’t have that in your life then your emotions and fear can control you and make you not have the discernment and the wisdom that you need in a time of crisis.’
“The South Dakota governor also said that no evidence supports the notion that severe restrictions help to protect the public health. ‘So, I know they all have the ability to say that they’re making these decisions to protect public health, but there is no science that proves that what they’re doing works,’ Noem said. ‘There is no expert that says these extreme measures that these states are taking and that the data behind it, that it is appropriate. So they are taking extremely restrictive actions to impact their people. And I’m concerned about what that does long term…’ She said that Americans must defend their religious liberty, which has been attacked amid the pandemic… ‘we have directly seen in many of these states where they have allowed other gatherings yet restricted those who want to go to church and worship together.’”
Even though there has been no lockdown in South Dakota and many restrictions are “recommended,” it was observed that fear also reigns among the people and businesses there, with some shops and restaurants mandating the wearing of masks and social distancing. Satan, the author of fear, is having a field day everywhere, and ministers and members in some Sabbath-keeping Church of God organizations are no exception.
ZeroHedge wrote on October 11:
“California may be the most populous state in the Union, but it could transform into the exodus capital of America… Growth has slowed close to zero or even declined in most coastal counties… [Studies] have found that poorer households are more likely to flee than their affluent counterparts. But considering the policing being proposed or enacted, it is safe to say that the wealthy have no reason to be some of the left-behinds…
“Newsom recently signed an executive order that phases out the sale of all gasoline-powered automobiles by 2035… the measure will certainly push consumers to switch to the heavily subsidized electric vehicle market… Newsom also endorsed a ban on petroleum fracking… he urged the California Legislature to adopt prohibitions or restrictions on fracking. This could potentially impact the more than 360,000 people who are employed in the oil and gas sector.
“Despite being one of the wealthiest jurisdictions in the world, California is mirroring Venezuela by enduring rolling blackouts. Although local left-leaning politicians and the mainstream press will allude to the widespread wildfires as evidence of climate change, it has been years of gross negligence contributing to the disaster…
“Not only is California going through power shortages but [it is] also suffering a government-induced water shortage… residents can face fines of up to $500 per day if they take a long shower… And, worse, this is all in addition to the plethora of Coronavirus restrictions Newsom and his pals at the local level have introduced over the last six months….”
California is indeed at the brink of total destruction.
The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 16:
“The Jerusalem Post can report the first US government criticism of three German MPs who are involved in Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) activities targeting Israel and are on the advisory board of a group urging the destruction of Israel…
“The three allegedly pro-BDS supporters are Omid Nouripour (The Green Party), Aydan Özoguz (Social Democratic Party) and Christine Buchholz (The Left Party).”
In spite of lip services to the contrary, many Germans, including politicians, are deeply anti-Semitic.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 14:
“Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Hussein said that Islamic law obligates Muslims to ‘fight against the thieving Jews.’
“According to a report published on Monday by Palestinian Media Watch, in a Sept. 18 interview with Palestinian Authority TV, Hussein stressed that ‘if an inch of the Muslims’ lands is stolen, jihad becomes a personal religious commandment for everyone.’
“The P.A. defines the State of Israel as stolen Islamic land (waqf), an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, according to PMW. Therefore, said Hussein, Shariah law prohibits Palestinians from recognizing Israel, within any borders, and commands that every Muslim has a personal duty to wage war against the Jewish state until the ‘Muslim’ land is freed.”
There will never be a lasting peace agreement between Israel and many Arab states, prior to Christ’s return.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 4:
“‘In this city that we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us,’ Erdogan said. ‘Our first qibla [direction of prayer in Islam] [towards] al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem are the symbolic mosques of our faith…’
“The American Jewish Committee responded to Erdogan’s claim to Jerusalem noting that the Muslim occupation of Judaism’s holiest site ended with the Ottoman empire. ‘So were Cairo, Athens, Budapest, Bucharest — and many more — at the height of the Ottoman Empire,’ the AJC tweeted. ‘But this is 2020… Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.’”
According to the Bible, Turkey will participate in a cruel war against Israel and Jerusalem.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 11:
“Sheikh Ekrima Sa’id Sabri, the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem appointed by Yasser Arafat and the current head of the Temple Mount Islamic council, warned that Israel has been successful in marketing the ‘Zionist narrative’ that the Al Aqsa Mosque is situated on land that was once part of the Jewish Temple… In this statement, Sabri is incorrectly using the term ‘Al Aqsa’ to refer to the entire Temple Mount rather than just the silver-domed mosque at the southern end of the Temple Mount complex… According to Sabri, this illusion was built around a false narrative that ‘Palestine’ was the land that Jews had a right to, and that the Temple will be built on the ruins of the Al-Aqsa Mosque…
“Dr. Kedar… a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University, explained. ‘Jerusalem and the Temple Mount are at the epicenter of the Palestinian story. Without Jerusalem and Al Aqsa, the Palestinian issue has almost no meaning… This is why they keep repeating the allegation that the Jews have no connection to the Temple Mount or Jerusalem even though this flies in the face of all recorded history.’”
A Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount, prior to Christ’s return.
In this context, the following was reported by Israel 365 News on September 29:
“Rabbi Yehuda Glick… a former Member of Knesset for the Likud Party, is considering running for the position of President of Israel. The position of president is largely ceremonial, becoming significant after national elections. Presidents are elected by an absolute majority in the Knesset by secret ballot and serve a seven-year term. Any Israeli resident citizen is eligible to run for President…The current president, Reuven Rivlin, assumed office in July 2014 so it is assumed he will complete his term in the summer of 2021…
“Frequently mislabeled a religious extremist, Rabbi Glick advocates opening the Temple Mount on an equal footing to prayer by Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others. For his efforts, Rabbi Glick was awarded the 2015 Moskowitz Prize for Zionism for being ‘Active for human rights and religious freedom on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount’… In October 2014, an Arab on a motorcycle approached Rabbi Glick after he gave a speech at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, shooting him four times at point-blank range. Rabbi Glick survived the assassination attempt, the assassin, a member of Islamic Jihad, was later killed trying to escape from police.”
Rabbi Glick is also a strong supporter of the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.
The conservative paper, Die Welt, wrote on September 25:
“First, the Chancellor crushed the FDP, now the SPD… Merkel is going to have to face questions about why all her partners end up being destroyed.
“There is only one people’s party left in Germany, and that is the Union (CDU). But even the CDU, led by Merkel, and its sister party in Bavaria are pretty broken after four years of grand coalition… For the SPD it has proved disastrous… So there won’t be another grand coalition. The SPD isn’t up for it. And rightly so…
“Let us turn now to the winners: the politicians of the AfD, who will now have up to 100 members of parliament… The AfD is the classic protest party, but it is also the product of a Union that is only too happy to absorb and integrate red-green positions… That Merkel’s refugee policy was never attacked by the left-wing opposition in the Bundestag proved… disastrous…”
Merkel was also largely responsible for the downfall of former Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU), stabbing him in the back, as many claim. Merkel is right now nothing more than a lame duck. Some are preparing for taking her helm. At this point, according to ntv, dated October 9, Jens Spahn is the most popular candidate in Merkel’s party. He is also openly gay. In an interview with Domradio, dated October 9, he said that God made him so for a reason, and that there is no contradiction between being Catholic, conservative and gay, adding that the Catholic rituals of the “holy Roman church” give him support in his daily life. It will be interesting to see who is going to succeed Merkel, and whether he could be a candidate for the “beast” mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The time is ripe for sure.
Newsclick wrote on October 12:
“For the ruling circles in Germany, it was Franz Josef Strauss (a right-wing politician) who formulated the position as early as the 1970s that Germany has its own military-political interests and, if necessary, should be able to conduct operations even if they do not correspond to the interests of the United States… For this scenario, Germany needs its own armed forces… Thus, Germany is seeking this alliance within Europe through building an EU army.
“A European Army has been a demand for 15 or 20 years now… PESCO, the Permanent Structured Cooperation, of which 25 of 28 countries are members, as a strategy, is …to build this army of Europeans step by step from the bottom-up with small projects. For example, common ambulance trains or joint projects in the logistics sector are being set up or certain armament projects are being pushed forward. All this is taking place within the framework of PESCO, and it is unspectacular. No one reports on a German-Hungarian ambulance train. This does not cross the threshold to get into a major daily newspaper or the television news. But it is taking place!… Countries taking part in PESCO, and that is de facto all of them, must be prepared to support the wars that will come – that’s the objective of this project. Germany is indeed the leader at PESCO… [While] PESCO – being a German project – receives some attention within the German press at least, the second European Intervention Initiative, works differently and is not reported on at all as an actual deliberate project.
“A dozen European countries are now participating, and they are not doing training like ambulance trains and joint armament projects. Instead, they orient their existing armed forces towards joint operations. What is already taking place today – such as joint situation analyses and at least thinking through joint deployment scenarios – is thus geared towards rapid joint deployment. The model for this is the war in Libya in 2011, which, with the support of the USA and the participation of other armed forces, was ultimately led primarily by France and Great Britain. And they did not set up a bilateral alliance for years to come, but quickly threw their lot together and learned how to wage war together in practice.
“European imperialism is on the march and preparing for war…”
And so it is, but the world is too blind to recognize it… ntv reported on October 13 in an article, titled “Bundeswehr Probt Atomkrieg” (“Bundeswehr rehearses Nuclear War”) that the German army is participating in at least two NATO maneuvers in Germany (called “Steadfast Noon” and “Resilient Guard”) to prepare for nuclear war. Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy are also participating.
Modern Diplomacy wrote on October 18:
“The German Air Force is setting up a Deployable Control and Reporting Centre (DCRC) at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, supplemented by additional sub-elements at Skede, Latvia and Ämari, Estonia… Germany is Lithuania’s principal ally and a cornerstone guarantee of security and stability in Europe… Germany is also an active participant of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic States…
“Germany is the framework nation of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group deployed for deterrence and defence purposes in Rukla since early 2017, and has the largest portion of troops there…
“Generally, the Baltic States are now on the front line of the increasing tension between NATO and the Russian Federation… Russia might escalate the situation and even could use nuclear weapons. In addition, Ambiguous Nuclear Doctrines in NATO’s and Russia’s nuclear policies create the potential for deliberate escalation. Thus, a potential conflict between NATO and Russia could provoke not only the use of conventional weapons, but also nuclear weapons.”
Germany’s military involvement should not be underestimated, even though it is generally ignored or even ridiculed.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.
On October 24, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (October 24, 2020),” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “Are You A Soldier?”
The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
On October 24, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (October 24, 2020),” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “Are You A Soldier?”
The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
by Norbert Link
Members of the Church of God just returned from celebrating God’s commanded Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day at the place which God had chosen, reminding them, among many other things, that they are strangers and pilgrims on this earth; that their true citizenship is in heaven; and that they are waiting for a better homeland or country to be established here on earth—the peaceful and glorious Kingdom and Government of God, which will rule all men with peace, justice and LOVE.
And still, all of us live right now in a particular country ruled by man. In the USA, the fight for the presidency is in full gear, and the candidates assure us that they love their country, and that its citizens should and must do so as well. However, “loving our country” means different things to different people. Depending on their political affiliation and human philosophy, it may mean following the leader without question or reservation, as long as their leader belongs to their party; and it may mean opposing him in every conceivable way if he belongs to the opposite party. It may mean to some engaging in peaceful or violent demonstrations in an attempt to correct the perceived wrong, while others may support police brutality or injustice in order to correct the perceived wrong… arguing likewise that the desired end result justifies the means.
What does it mean to true Christians to love their human country… the country in which they live? How can true Christians be true patriots… or can they?
What it most assuredly does not mean is to be a nationalist—a person who “loves” his country “uber alles”; who looks exclusively to his country’s benefit while wanting to harm or destroy other countries. But there is a huge difference between being a nationalist and being a patriot. In fact, nationalism is an ungodly perversion of patriotism. A true patriot—someone who loves his country with God-pleasing love—is someone who wants the best for his country–as well as for other countries. He is to love his neighbor as himself… or in our context, he loves his country as much as he loves other countries. He will not engage in warfare for his country to fight other countries. Loving his country excludes fighting in war, and God curses those who delight in war.
Loving our country means that we do not overlook or justify sin. God tells us what sin is… it is the transgression of His holy and righteous law. His law can be summarized with the word “love”—love for our God and love for our neighbor… for all men in whatever country they may live. The Ten Commandments tell us further how to love God and man, and God’s statutes and judgments explain in more detail how to apply the Ten Commandments in certain circumstances.
We must love God more than any man or any country. And loving man does not mean, loving his sinful ways which are opposed to the love of God. As ambassadors of Christ, we have an obligation to stand up for the Truth. God’s Church today has the responsibility to show the people their sins… in the hope that they repent and change their ways; knowing that otherwise, they and their country will be destroyed. To shrink away from such duty only shows that we do not love God, our neighbor and our country—that we are indeed not true patriots.
Let us take our commission seriously. Let us show the right kind of love towards others, because the time of worldwide war and destruction is near. Political speeches and promises, even if they are meant seriously, will not help us if we continue to live in sin. God compares the USA today with ancient Sodom, but the USA is by no means worse than any other country. The whole world is in the hands of Satan, the power of wickedness and darkness, and every country is alienated from God. God undoubtedly blessed the USA once, as well as the UK, Canada, Australia and other English-speaking nations— fulfilling thereby His unconditional promise to Abraham to do so—but He also said that He would remove His blessings, if those nations would descend into sin, which they have done. To point this out with force and power does not mean that we do not love our country… just the opposite is true. We want to see peace, prosperity, righteousness and love in every country, but we do not see that, because the entire world is spiritually “sick,” having turned their back on God with willful ignorance and having been kidnapped and held captive by Satan to do his will.
And so, we cry over the abominations happening around us, separating ourselves from this world’s Babylon of confusion, and praying to God to hasten Christ’s return to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth. That is HOW we love our country, knowing that only God’s government can and will bring peace, happiness, prosperity and LOVE to this world.
by Norbert Link
We begin with articles about Biden and Trump in light of the upcoming presidential election in November [please note our new StandingWatch program, “How to Love our Country”], while pointing out that, focusing on the (prophesied) bad relationship between America and Europe, it does not really matter who will win. We also speak on controversial coronavirus treatments and the attempts (and set-backs) to develop a coronavirus vaccine.
We then focus on the last stage of Brexit negotiations which seem to point at a no-deal outcome which would be devastating for the UK.
We address systematic and ongoing attempts to silence those who dare to voice disagreement with the official mass media’s approach and unsubstantiated reports on coronavirus, and we speak on the rise of anti-Semitism in connection with the coronavirus pandemic. We also quote articles questioning the usefulness of wearing masks and a reversal of the WHO’s recommendation regarding lockdowns.
We speak on California’s demise and the volatile situation in the Middle East, involving Israel and strong voices advocating the building of the third Temple on the Temple Mount.
We address the shaky political situation in Germany and Angela Merkel’s irrelevant and at the same time dubious role; the rise in popularity of Germany’s ambitious health minister Jens Spahn and his grab for power; and European imperialism with the threat of war; and we conclude with Germany’s military ambitions and the concern of nuclear war with Russia.
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
The Ron Paul Institute republished on October 16 an article by the Strategic Culture Foundation:
“The United States approaches the November 2020 election with growing apprehension, even dread.
“Among the possibilities: Protracted uncertainty about the presidential contest… A disputed outcome, perhaps with Donald Trump and Joe Biden both claiming victory… Violent civil conflict… A color revolution style regime change operation… perhaps culminating in a military coup to remove Trump… and install Biden in the Oval Office…
“For those who have followed events outside the United States during the past few decades, much of this sounds familiar… Once a country gets broken it tends to stay broken… once regime change occurs and corruption is rampant, another shoe drops: foreign vultures descend on the carcass, profiteers who in many cases are the very same people that helped to create the chaos on which they are cashing in…
“As a Senator in the 1990s, Joe Biden was one of the most militant advocates of US military action against Serbs during the breakup of the Yugoslav federation, first in Croatia (1991-95), then in Bosnia (1992-95), and then in Serbia’s province of Kosovo (1998- 1999)… Biden continually called for the US to bomb, bomb, bomb bomb the Serbs while… [he] pushed successfully for sending weapons to the Islamist regime in Bosnia…
“… if Joe Biden takes the helm, we can anticipate a bevy of globalist warmonger appointees that make Trump’s team look like disciples of Mahatma Gandhi… It’s a recipe for wars, regime changes, and color revolutions galore…”
Most predict that Biden will win. We disagree. Trump will stay in power.
The Hill wrote on October 20:
“Televangelist Pat Robertson said on Tuesday that God told him President Trump will win, and more than five years later an asteroid will hit Earth and ‘maybe’ bring ‘the end.’… The 90-year-old forecasted disaster for the country and the world after the election, including civil unrest, at least two attempts on Trump’s life and a war against Israel that will be ‘put down by God.’
“Then, the world will see ‘at least five years or more of extraordinary peace’ before the asteroid. ‘What I think very frankly is the only thing that will fulfill the word of Jesus … is some kind of asteroid strike on the globe,’ he said. ‘It’s sudden destruction. It’s not going to be some nuclear war. We’re not going to be allowed to blow this earth up.’
“Following a description of the asteroid’s damage, Robertson said ‘then, maybe the end’ would come next.
“The televangelist had made similar predictions in the past, saying in 1976 the world would end in 1982. His 1990 book ‘The New Millennium’ anticipated the end of time on April 29, 2007…”
We wonder how God “told” him. His “predictions” have not been that accurate, to say the least, and even though we believe too that Trump will stay in power–and we have said this LONG BEFORE Robertson ever announced his “revelation”–there WILL BE a nuclear war between the USA and Europe, starting the Great Tribulation. Israel will also be defeated by European armies. Asteroids –“stars falling down from heaven” – will strike this planet, but they are not the main cause for its destruction. AND, there will be absolutely NO five years or more of “extraordinary PEACE” prior to Christ’s return. In fact, Christ said that if those days would not be shortened, “no flesh” would be saved alive.
The Washington Post wrote on October 9:
“Slowly but surely, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge keeps pushing the North American and European plates apart, at the rate of about an inch a year. Something similar is happening in geopolitical tectonics. One generation ago the U.S. was western Europe’s indispensable ally. Today… it often looks more like Europe’s ‘foe’ (Trump’s word) than friend. That’s why Europeans, too, are waiting with bated breath for the U.S. presidential election next month. If Trump wins, the transatlantic rift will make another audible crack. If Joe Biden wins, the loudest sound will be the popping of champagne corks. But before long, Europeans will have to admit that the gradual estrangement continues no matter who’s in the White House.
“Transatlantic relations started fraying long before Trump. They almost snapped during the administration of George W. Bush, before Barack Obama restored them a bit. Even that was largely cosmetic. It was Obama, with Biden as vice president, who announced America’s strategic ‘pivot’ to Asia, giving a name to a secular shift in orientation from the Atlantic to the Pacific. And previous U.S. presidents were already complaining — albeit politely — that the Europeans, and above all the Germans, were spending too little on their own armies to be dependable NATO allies, and free-riding on a global commercial system chaperoned by the U.S.
“Trump simply blew the diplomatic sheen and subtlety off these disputes. Like no U.S. president since World War II, he shows disdain for European leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel… According to John Bolton, a former national security adviser, the president might quit the alliance in a second term, just as he has walked out of the Paris Agreement on climate change, the World Health Organization and other multilateral forums…
“Biden… won’t invest in transatlantic defense, either. That’s because every military dollar spent in Europe is one that’s unavailable in Asia. Meanwhile, existing tensions wouldn’t disappear. Like his predecessor, Biden would try to stop a gas pipeline being built from Russia to Germany. He would keep leaning on the Germans and others to boost military spending. He would also insist that they actually use their armies in missions where the U.S. no longer sees its own interests at stake — in the eastern Mediterranean, perhaps, or Africa.
“Above all, any president will expect America’s allies to stand with the U.S. against China. So the more the EU pursues its vague notion of ‘European sovereignty,’ the less valuable for America it becomes. A Europe equidistant between East and West is of little interest to the U.S…”
The deterioration between the USA and Europe is unstoppable.
Bloomberg wrote on October 17:
“President Donald Trump called on Friday night for Joe Biden and his family to be jailed… ‘We’ve learned over the last couple of months: Joe Biden is a corrupt politician,’ Trump said to his supporters, ‘and the Biden family is a criminal enterprise.’
“Trump frequently demanded that his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, be incarcerated over her use of a private email server as secretary of state. It was believed to be the first time he has ever used that sort of attack against the Bidens. The FBI declined in 2016 to recommend charges against Clinton…
“Trailing behind Biden in most opinion polls with the election less than three weeks away, Trump has zeroed in on a New York Post report from earlier this week that highlights documents purporting to show the business dealings of Joe Biden’s son Hunter in Ukraine and China. The Post article… alleged that Hunter Biden introduced a Ukrainian businessman to his father, who has said he’s never talked with his son about his international business dealings…
“The laptop’s hard drive was given to Trump ally Steve Bannon, who gave it to Rudy Giuliani’s lawyer, Robert Costello. Giuliani, the former New York mayor and Trump’s lawyer, gave it to the Post…”
The Daily Mail added on October 17:
“Biden has finally been asked about reports about his son Hunter’s foreign dealings, and responded by saying he had ‘no response’ and furiously slamming the [CBS News] reporter [Bo Erickson] who quizzed him… ‘I know you’d ask it,’ Biden replied heatedly, wearing two masks. ‘I have no response, it’s another smear campaign, right up your alley, those are the questions you always ask.’ … On Thursday night, ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, a former Democratic advisor, sparked controversy when he declined to ask about Hunter’s emails during a 90-minute town hall.”
Quite often, where there is smoke, there is fire…
On October 19, Daily Mail published the following article by Piers Morgan:
“Four days ago, the New York Post published a bombshell report raising serious new questions about presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter’s relationship with Ukranian energy company Burisma. The story, which made startling and apparently damning reading was based on a cache of emails and photos allegedly retrieved from Hunter Biden’s laptop that he had left at a Delaware computer store… the response from Joe Biden so far has done nothing to make me think [the story is] false. Crucially, there has been no denial of the fact that these emails are genuine.
“And if they are, then they raise important questions. The potentially most explosive part of the story is a 2015 email supposedly sent by a top Burisma adviser, Vadym Pozharskyi, thanking Hunter for giving him the chance to meet his dad Joe while he was Vice-President… This is significant because Joe Biden has always vehemently denied ever even speaking to his son about ‘his overseas business dealings.’
“Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates responded to the Post allegation by saying: ‘We have reviewed Joe Biden’s official schedules from the time and no meeting, as alleged by the New York Post, ever took place.’… this sounds to me like a very narrow form of wording designed to allow some wriggle room should proof of such a meeting emerge.
“In another email to Hunter Biden sent by a business consultant in 2017, reference is made to ‘the big guy’ who would receive 10% of equity from a deal with a Chinese equity firm. Others on the email chain have told Fox News that ‘the big guy’ is Joe Biden… the Biden’s camp statement was also very revealing for what it didn’t say: i.e. that the emails are fake, or that ‘the big guy’ isn’t Joe Biden. Without any such denials, we’re inevitably led to the conclusion that they may be real, and if they’re real, then how does Joe Biden explain them without confirming he has misled the American people about his involvement with Hunter’s inarguably dodgy dealings with foreign national firms in Ukraine and China?…
“… the response to [the story] from liberal-dominated mainstream and social media firms has been staggering, terrifying and disgraceful. Just hours after the Post story appeared, Facebook announced it would be limiting its spread on the social media platform while it used independent fact-checkers to verify the paper’s allegations. Even more extraordinarily, Twitter than summarily banned anyone from posting a link to the story, including the New York Post itself. By taking these unprecedented actions, the tech firms were effectively abandoning any pretence at protecting free speech or the First Amendment…
“They were soon joined by the mainstream media who seem way more interested in knocking down the story and unmasking a conspiracy to smear Biden than investigating whether it’s true… US mainstream and social media companies have reacted to this story in an outrageously partisan and deeply sinister manner that is diametrically opposed to how they would have reacted if the name ‘Biden’ was swapped for ‘Trump.’ Shame on all of them….”
Fox News added on October 18:
“The flagging or removal of tweets or other social media posts has taken on a heightened level of scrutiny from conservatives since both Twitter and Facebook last week took actions to halt a New York Post article centered around Hunter Biden – with GOP lawmakers in both the House and Senate decrying the move as censorship and calling on both companies to explain themselves before Congress.”
Breitbart added on October 19:
“Five days after the New York Post published a bombshell story about Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, and the family’s alleged ties to Burisma, the Post remains blacklisted from Twitter for sharing the story. The newspaper has refused to delete its tweets linking to the stories, and Twitter has refused to relent on the Post‘s suspension, despite CEO Jack Dorsey admitting that blocking links on the platform is wrong.”
Free Speech in the USA… gone! Political dictatorship rules the media.
Deutsche Welle wrote on October 9:
“US President Donald Trump has been treated with an anti-COVID-19 drug developed with cells derived from fetal tissue. He called it a God-given miracle cure, but what will his anti-abortion supporters think?… Given the fierce resistance of the Trump administration to research involving fetal tissue, it seems extremely hypocritical that the US leader, who has widespread support from anti-abortion campaigners, has lauded REGN-COV2 as a heavenly gift…
“Just last year, Trump cut federal funding for national research efforts into HIV and cancer treatments based on fetal tissue… In January, Trump spoke at the 47th March for Life, a Washington anti-abortion rally. There, he told activists ‘unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House’ and that ‘every child is a precious and sacred gift from God.’
“REGN-COV2 is not manufactured in human cells, but in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The effectiveness of the antibodies it contains, however, was tested on cells derived from kidney tissue taken from an abortion carried out in the Netherlands in the 1970s. This cell line, known as 293T, has been used in various research labs around the world. REGN-COV2 made use of these cells to produce so-called virus pseudoparticles: virus-like structures that contain the ‘spike’ protein of the deadly coronavirus. Only in this way was it possible to ascertain how effective the antibodies were against the virus…
“The heated debate surrounding REGN-COV2 has once again put the spotlight on an important area of medical research that often uses cells originally derived from aborted fetuses, including during the development of vaccines. Regeneron has not denied using 293T, yet argues that the cells should not be considered ‘human’ tissue as they were grown in a lab… ‘”
Trump later said that he did not know what the doctors gave him…
Sky News wrote on September 28:
“Half a million sharks could be killed for their natural oil to produce coronavirus vaccines… One ingredient used in some COVID-19 vaccine candidates is squalene, a natural oil made in the liver of sharks… British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline currently uses shark squalene in flu vaccines. The company said it would manufacture a billion doses of this adjuvant for potential use in coronavirus vaccines in May.
“Around 3,000 sharks are needed to extract one tonne of squalene… If two doses are needed to immunise the global population, which is likely according to researchers, this would increase to half a million… Stefanie Brendl, founder and executive director of Shark Allies, said: ‘Harvesting something from a wild animal is never going to be sustainable, especially if it’s a top predator that doesn’t reproduce in huge numbers…
“According to estimates made by conservationists, around three million sharks are killed every year for squalene, which is also used in cosmetics and machine oil….”
Sick!
CNN Health wrote on October 13:
“Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson said Monday it has paused the advanced clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in one of the volunteers… ‘Adverse events — illnesses, accidents, etc. — even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies.’…
“This is the second Phase 3 coronavirus vaccine trial to be paused in the US. AstraZeneca’s vaccine trial was paused last month because of a neurological complication in a volunteer in Britain. While the trial resumed there and in other countries, it remains paused in the United States while the US Food and Drug Administration investigates…
“Johnson’s Phase 3 trial started in September. It’s one of six coronavirus vaccines being tested in the US, and one of four in the most advanced, Phase 3 stage…”
Safety is a big concern when a vaccine is finally available.
CNN Business wrote on October 16:
“The British economy has been pummeled by the pandemic. Now, with talks on a new trade deal with the European Union at risk of collapse, Johnson has to decide: Does he try to find common ground with Europe, or walk away? Britain already faces a tough 2021 as the country battles the twin shocks of coronavirus and Brexit. But failing to secure an agreement with the United Kingdom’s biggest export market would amplify the pain.
“Walking away empty-handed — which Johnson threatened to do on Friday — would create disruptions to trade when the transition period ends later this year, shaving more than $25 billion off the UK economy in 2021… That would put the country even further behind on its efforts to recover from the historic shock triggered by the pandemic…”
Britain’s economic downfall has been preordained.
Der Spiegel wrote on October 13:
“Essentially, the only choice now remaining is between an ugly divorce and an extremely ugly divorce… Significant damage has already been done. Since the British voted by a razor-thin margin to leave the European Union four years ago, trade between the UK and the EU has plunged. Prior to the Brexit vote, Britain was Germany’s third-largest export market, but it has since dropped to fifth place. At the same time, British exports to the Continent have sunk by 17 percent in just the first seven months of this year relative to the same time period one year ago…
“Should there be no deal… the government could be faced with having to send soldiers into the streets to maintain order, while the Navy would be sent out to prevent French fishing boats from encroaching on British waters. Because medications could get stuck at the border… there would be a danger of animal diseases spreading through the countryside. Across the country, one in 20 town halls could go broke, leaving millions of people without necessary financial support….
“Thus far, 5,000 officials have handled 50 million customs documents a year… After Brexit, there will be an increase of around 220 million declarations, meaning that the customs office would require tens of thousands of additional agents… Many EU haulers… could completely eliminate Britain from their schedules…”
This does not sound good for Britain. God is in the process of punishing Britain for their many sins.
Express wrote on October 18:
“Emmanuel Macron reacted furiously to Boris Johnson’s claims that trade talks are ‘over’ between the UK and EU. Mr Macron has played hardball in the talks on fisheries, insisting on Thursday that French fishermen would ‘not be sacrificed’ for the sake of a deal. However, if the UK leaves the EU without a deal then French fishermen could face being banned from British waters.
“In response, the French President has signalled the EU would launch a devastating energy embargo against the UK unless Boris Johnson gives in on fisheries. Following the EU summit in Brussels on Friday, Mr Macron told French radio that if the UK does not allow French fishermen in its waters, the EU would have to block the UK’s energy supplies to the European market. He suggested the right to fish in British waters was worth 650 million euros to EU fishermen, but that access to European energy markets was worth up to £2.3billion (€2.5bn) to the UK.”
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on September 26:
“YouTube… inexplicably removed our Ron Paul Liberty Report from 23 September, titled ‘Covid Whistleblowers Expose Narrative As ‘Total Fraud,'” and officially delivered a ‘warning’ to the Ron Paul Liberty Report You Tube channel. They claimed in the notice that the program… violated their ‘community guidelines’ regarding ‘spam, deceptive practices, and scams.’
“We are in danger of having our entire channel removed if we continue in these prohibited activities, they warned…
“Dr. Paul sent an appeal asking for specific clarification as to what in the program violated their ‘community standards.’… YouTube [answered that they] simply do not allow ‘content that explicitly disputes the efficacy of the World Health Organization’– a United Nations bureaucratic body that has absolutely no idea what to do about the Covid health problem. One week you must wear masks, the next week you don’t need them, etc. But don’t dare criticize them… the World Health Organization is not even led by a doctor, but by a violent Ethiopian communist politician…
“It seems bizarre in what so many love to claim is the ‘freest country on earth’… that anyone challenging the prevailing mainstream media/US government narrative on Covid… must be silenced…”
And this in the land of the free?
Star Tribune wrote on September 25:
“Twin Cities priest… Robert Altier had delivered a 20-minute sermon Sept. 6, claiming COVID-19 was concocted in laboratories in the United States and China and that it was a ‘lie’ that tens of thousands of people are dying from it… Archbishop Bernard Hebda announced that he had spoken with Altier and told him such issues were not appropriate for a sermon…
“Altier had argued that the virus was made in a lab, that a 2020 global pandemic preparation exercise revealed previous knowledge of the virus, that masks caused bacterial infections and that death figures were grossly inflated… The sermon, entitled ‘The Coronavirus: the Truth Revealed,’ has been pulled from the website of Altier’s church, the Church of St. Raphael in Crystal… Altier is a priest well-known among conservative Catholics…”
Some of his comments might be controversial or even far-fetched… others would not be… But still, he is not allowed to say these things in the Catholic Church? Sadly, this ungodly approach is even taken by some Sabbath-keeping Church of God organizations.
The Guardian wrote on October 21:
“Pope Francis has given his most explicit support to same-sex civil unions in a move that is likely to further enrage his conservative opponents in the Catholic church… He said: ‘Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family… What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.’…
“James Martin, a prominent Jesuit who has argued that the church should be more welcoming to LGBT people, wrote on Twitter: ‘Pope Francis’s support for same-sex civil unions is a major step forward in the church’s support of LGBTQ people. It is in keeping with his pastoral approach to LGBT people, including LGBT Catholics, and sends a strong signal to countries where the church has opposed such laws.’
“A spokesperson for António Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations and a devout Catholic, said the pope’s comments were ‘a very positive move’…
“According to traditional church teaching, marriage can only be between a man and a woman, and the church has opposed legal recognition of same-sex unions. In 2003, a Vatican document set out why it was ‘necessary to oppose legal recognition of homosexual unions’ because they ‘obscure certain basic moral values and cause a devaluation of the institution of marriage’. Pope Francis’s conservative opponents have been infuriated by statements that they regard as part of an effort to shift the church towards progressive values. Some have publicly attacked him, even accusing him of heresy.”
The Bible is clear that homosexual conduct is sinful.
The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 16:
“Catholics and Jews asked U.S. courts on Thursday to overturn New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s order limiting worship to no more than 10 congregants in communities hard hit by the coronavirus, calling the measure a threat to religious freedom… In a 33-page complaint, laced with historical references to persecution, three Orthodox Jewish congregations told a U.S. District Court in Manhattan that Cuomo had outlawed ‘all but the most minimal communal religious worship.’…
“In the Catholic case, Bishop Raymond Chappetto… said weekly Mass was obligatory for Catholics and it was ‘absolutely essential’ that they be there in person.”
Israel 365 News added on October 14:
“Cuomo threatened to close synagogues. He did not threaten to close mosques. Nor did he display any pictures of mass Muslim religious gatherings. Instead, he found a photo of a Jewish funeral from 2006 to suggest that Jews were spreading the coronavirus… The differing treatment meted out to Orthodox Jewish and Shi’ite Muslim religious gatherings is a troubling demonstration of how anti-Semitism is baked into the intersectionality of the left.”
In an almost conspiratorial fashion, the German government is contemplating limiting worship services to 10 people in attendance. It is also considering passing a law which would grant ambitious Health Minister Jens Spahn [who has now been allegedly tested positive for the coronavirus and went into strict isolation] unlimited sole autocratic powers to fight the coronavirus. Merkel also appealed to Germans to stay at home, if possible.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 13:
“ABC News published an article on a forecast by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report was dire but even more shocking was the illustrative image which prominently featured Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews, implying that Jews, more than any other group, are responsible for the continuing pandemic… No studies have linked the spread of the coronavirus to Jewish communities nor have there been any studies showing that Jews, secular or religious, are especially hard-hit by the pandemic…
“There are many historical precedents for blaming Jews for pandemics but the worst case took place during the global Black Death pandemic in the 14th Century. During the Black Death in Europe from 1348 to 1351, Jews were blamed for the pandemic that killed over 100 million people, nearly half the population of Europe. This led to countless pogroms and at least 510 Jewish communities were destroyed in this period. In many cities, the civil authorities either did little to protect the Jewish communities or actually abetted the rioters. The pogroms motivated by the plague continued until 20 years after the plague disappeared. These accusations were revived at the outbreak of the current pandemic by private citizens as well as governments.”
The truth is that the pandemic started in China and was exported from there into all the world. President Trump stated recently that the USA will not forget what China did to it.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 17:
“In a growing sentiment against the use of masks, Dr Vladamir (Zev) Zelenko, the Ultra-orthodox Jewish physician who was famous for publicizing the use of Hydroxchloroquine against covid, now says that face masks are useless against the spread of coronavirus.
“In a tweet on Monday, the New York based doctor took to twitter exposing the truth about masks saying: ‘The government is trying to shut our mouths and cover our faces with masks. No basis in science. Covid-19 is around 0.1 microns. Masks block particles of more than 0.4 microns. In other words, masks don’t stop covid. End the tyranny and lies.’
“He then cited a study demonstrating the uselessness of masks blasting those who refuse to review the science and data recorded in the publication. [He] is in the midst of planning a class action lawsuit against Twitter for censoring his account…”
More and more studies have proven the utter uselessness and even danger of wearing masks.
Fox News wrote on October 18:
“Twitter removed a tweet from top White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas for questioning the effectiveness of masks in combatting COVID-19. Atlas’ tweet read ‘Masks work? NO’ and preceded several others that questioned the use of face coverings in preventing the spread of the coronavirus… In a statement to the Hill, Twitter said the doctor’s tweet ‘was in violation of our COVID-19 Misleading Information Policy’ that ‘prohibits sharing false or misleading content related to COVID-19 which could lead to harm.’
“… The removal of Atlas’ tweet is the latest in a series of actions the company has taken to either remove or flag posts by members of the Trump administration, including the president himself, that it says are misleading or false when it comes to issues ranging from the coronavirus pandemic to the upcoming presidential election.
“Twitter’s removal of Atlas’ tweet is also not the first time the medical professional has run afoul of big tech. In September, a video of Atlas questioning the need for universal social distancing measures was removed from YouTube for violating community standards.
“Atlas, who supports a full reopening of the economy, filmed an in-depth interview with the Hoover Institution where he discussed the possibility of allowing natural immunities to control the virus. Atlas lashed out at the massive video platform during an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson – saying that YouTube was ‘censoring science.’ ‘It’s a disaster,’ Atlas said. ‘We’ve already seen the near obstruction of journalism. When you start censoring science you are removing fact, removing the basic way that we decide what is truth [and] what is not. This has been done I think historically in various countries and you know, we are sort of teetering on the edge of what is done in third world countries — the countries we used to be proudly distinguished from,’ Atlas said….”
Incredible, and this kind of censorship is very dangerous and mind-controlling… bordering on brainwashing gullible people.
BGR wrote on October 11:
“As recently as July, the World Health Organization was still scaring people around the world… by saying that ‘total lockdown’ might be needed to nip the COVID-19 pandemic in the bud in some places…
“The WHO was warning countries at that point that they should only very ‘slowly’ come out of any coronavirus lockdown they’d imposed, and that every nation around the world needed to answer the ‘fundamental question’ for itself as to when and how (and whether) there might be a need for another future lockdown period…
“[The WHO’s] new position on lockdowns as a means of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is quite different — and will come as cold comfort to anyone who was lucky enough to have avoided the virus but whose life has been wrecked by the ensuing lockdowns and their follow-on effects. Not only is the WHO now sounding a warning about the negative effects associated with too-harsh lockdowns, which have wrecked businesses and livelihoods in countless cities, states, and countries — but a WHO official in a new interview is actively recommending against them.
“Dr. David Nabarro, a ‘special envoy’ of the WHO’s director-general, said in an interview with the British magazine The Spectator that restrictions like lockdowns should really only be a last resort — if even that… ‘Too many restrictions damage people’s livelihoods and provoke resentment…’
“One of the only things these coronavirus lockdowns are really good at, Nabarro told The Spectator, is ‘making poor people an awful lot poorer.’ It may even be that we see a doubling of world poverty next year, he lamented.”
But through unconscionable recommendations by the WHO and the ridiculous restrictions of ignorant governmental officials, millions upon millions of lives have been destroyed. And the panic-stricken nonsense is still ongoing.
Just the News wrote on September 27:
“South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has declined to lock down her state amid the coronavirus pandemic even as other government leaders around the nation issued restrictions that significantly throttled the U.S. economy. She said that she listened both to health officials and to individuals who informed her about the bounds of her gubernatorial authorities. ‘I know that when you have a leader overstep their authority in a time of crisis, that’s really when you lose this country. And I didn’t want to be guilty of doing that… So I never issued a shelter-in-place, I never closed a business. I didn’t even define an essential business … because I don’t have the authority to do that.’’
“Noem remarked that she spoke ‘with governors on conference calls all over this country about that and they had some of the same information that I had yet made completely different decisions.’ She said that she believes fear played a key role during the beginning of the pandemic, though more recently politics have been involved. During conference calls earlier during the coronavirus crisis… she found that fear was driving people’s actions… ‘I was shocked and amazed by how fear controlled people and how emotional that they were. And to me it indicated that in this country we’ve lost faith and the steadfast promise of God’s faithfulness in our life every day has real consequences. If you don’t have that in your life then your emotions and fear can control you and make you not have the discernment and the wisdom that you need in a time of crisis.’
“The South Dakota governor also said that no evidence supports the notion that severe restrictions help to protect the public health. ‘So, I know they all have the ability to say that they’re making these decisions to protect public health, but there is no science that proves that what they’re doing works,’ Noem said. ‘There is no expert that says these extreme measures that these states are taking and that the data behind it, that it is appropriate. So they are taking extremely restrictive actions to impact their people. And I’m concerned about what that does long term…’ She said that Americans must defend their religious liberty, which has been attacked amid the pandemic… ‘we have directly seen in many of these states where they have allowed other gatherings yet restricted those who want to go to church and worship together.’”
Even though there has been no lockdown in South Dakota and many restrictions are “recommended,” it was observed that fear also reigns among the people and businesses there, with some shops and restaurants mandating the wearing of masks and social distancing. Satan, the author of fear, is having a field day everywhere, and ministers and members in some Sabbath-keeping Church of God organizations are no exception.
ZeroHedge wrote on October 11:
“California may be the most populous state in the Union, but it could transform into the exodus capital of America… Growth has slowed close to zero or even declined in most coastal counties… [Studies] have found that poorer households are more likely to flee than their affluent counterparts. But considering the policing being proposed or enacted, it is safe to say that the wealthy have no reason to be some of the left-behinds…
“Newsom recently signed an executive order that phases out the sale of all gasoline-powered automobiles by 2035… the measure will certainly push consumers to switch to the heavily subsidized electric vehicle market… Newsom also endorsed a ban on petroleum fracking… he urged the California Legislature to adopt prohibitions or restrictions on fracking. This could potentially impact the more than 360,000 people who are employed in the oil and gas sector.
“Despite being one of the wealthiest jurisdictions in the world, California is mirroring Venezuela by enduring rolling blackouts. Although local left-leaning politicians and the mainstream press will allude to the widespread wildfires as evidence of climate change, it has been years of gross negligence contributing to the disaster…
“Not only is California going through power shortages but [it is] also suffering a government-induced water shortage… residents can face fines of up to $500 per day if they take a long shower… And, worse, this is all in addition to the plethora of Coronavirus restrictions Newsom and his pals at the local level have introduced over the last six months….”
California is indeed at the brink of total destruction.
The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 16:
“The Jerusalem Post can report the first US government criticism of three German MPs who are involved in Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) activities targeting Israel and are on the advisory board of a group urging the destruction of Israel…
“The three allegedly pro-BDS supporters are Omid Nouripour (The Green Party), Aydan Özoguz (Social Democratic Party) and Christine Buchholz (The Left Party).”
In spite of lip services to the contrary, many Germans, including politicians, are deeply anti-Semitic.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 14:
“Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Hussein said that Islamic law obligates Muslims to ‘fight against the thieving Jews.’
“According to a report published on Monday by Palestinian Media Watch, in a Sept. 18 interview with Palestinian Authority TV, Hussein stressed that ‘if an inch of the Muslims’ lands is stolen, jihad becomes a personal religious commandment for everyone.’
“The P.A. defines the State of Israel as stolen Islamic land (waqf), an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, according to PMW. Therefore, said Hussein, Shariah law prohibits Palestinians from recognizing Israel, within any borders, and commands that every Muslim has a personal duty to wage war against the Jewish state until the ‘Muslim’ land is freed.”
There will never be a lasting peace agreement between Israel and many Arab states, prior to Christ’s return.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 4:
“‘In this city that we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us,’ Erdogan said. ‘Our first qibla [direction of prayer in Islam] [towards] al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem are the symbolic mosques of our faith…’
“The American Jewish Committee responded to Erdogan’s claim to Jerusalem noting that the Muslim occupation of Judaism’s holiest site ended with the Ottoman empire. ‘So were Cairo, Athens, Budapest, Bucharest — and many more — at the height of the Ottoman Empire,’ the AJC tweeted. ‘But this is 2020… Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.’”
According to the Bible, Turkey will participate in a cruel war against Israel and Jerusalem.
Israel 365 News wrote on October 11:
“Sheikh Ekrima Sa’id Sabri, the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem appointed by Yasser Arafat and the current head of the Temple Mount Islamic council, warned that Israel has been successful in marketing the ‘Zionist narrative’ that the Al Aqsa Mosque is situated on land that was once part of the Jewish Temple… In this statement, Sabri is incorrectly using the term ‘Al Aqsa’ to refer to the entire Temple Mount rather than just the silver-domed mosque at the southern end of the Temple Mount complex… According to Sabri, this illusion was built around a false narrative that ‘Palestine’ was the land that Jews had a right to, and that the Temple will be built on the ruins of the Al-Aqsa Mosque…
“Dr. Kedar… a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University, explained. ‘Jerusalem and the Temple Mount are at the epicenter of the Palestinian story. Without Jerusalem and Al Aqsa, the Palestinian issue has almost no meaning… This is why they keep repeating the allegation that the Jews have no connection to the Temple Mount or Jerusalem even though this flies in the face of all recorded history.’”
A Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount, prior to Christ’s return.
In this context, the following was reported by Israel 365 News on September 29:
“Rabbi Yehuda Glick… a former Member of Knesset for the Likud Party, is considering running for the position of President of Israel. The position of president is largely ceremonial, becoming significant after national elections. Presidents are elected by an absolute majority in the Knesset by secret ballot and serve a seven-year term. Any Israeli resident citizen is eligible to run for President…The current president, Reuven Rivlin, assumed office in July 2014 so it is assumed he will complete his term in the summer of 2021…
“Frequently mislabeled a religious extremist, Rabbi Glick advocates opening the Temple Mount on an equal footing to prayer by Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others. For his efforts, Rabbi Glick was awarded the 2015 Moskowitz Prize for Zionism for being ‘Active for human rights and religious freedom on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount’… In October 2014, an Arab on a motorcycle approached Rabbi Glick after he gave a speech at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, shooting him four times at point-blank range. Rabbi Glick survived the assassination attempt, the assassin, a member of Islamic Jihad, was later killed trying to escape from police.”
Rabbi Glick is also a strong supporter of the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.
The conservative paper, Die Welt, wrote on September 25:
“First, the Chancellor crushed the FDP, now the SPD… Merkel is going to have to face questions about why all her partners end up being destroyed.
“There is only one people’s party left in Germany, and that is the Union (CDU). But even the CDU, led by Merkel, and its sister party in Bavaria are pretty broken after four years of grand coalition… For the SPD it has proved disastrous… So there won’t be another grand coalition. The SPD isn’t up for it. And rightly so…
“Let us turn now to the winners: the politicians of the AfD, who will now have up to 100 members of parliament… The AfD is the classic protest party, but it is also the product of a Union that is only too happy to absorb and integrate red-green positions… That Merkel’s refugee policy was never attacked by the left-wing opposition in the Bundestag proved… disastrous…”
Merkel was also largely responsible for the downfall of former Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU), stabbing him in the back, as many claim. Merkel is right now nothing more than a lame duck. Some are preparing for taking her helm. At this point, according to ntv, dated October 9, Jens Spahn is the most popular candidate in Merkel’s party. He is also openly gay. In an interview with Domradio, dated October 9, he said that God made him so for a reason, and that there is no contradiction between being Catholic, conservative and gay, adding that the Catholic rituals of the “holy Roman church” give him support in his daily life. It will be interesting to see who is going to succeed Merkel, and whether he could be a candidate for the “beast” mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The time is ripe for sure.
Newsclick wrote on October 12:
“For the ruling circles in Germany, it was Franz Josef Strauss (a right-wing politician) who formulated the position as early as the 1970s that Germany has its own military-political interests and, if necessary, should be able to conduct operations even if they do not correspond to the interests of the United States… For this scenario, Germany needs its own armed forces… Thus, Germany is seeking this alliance within Europe through building an EU army.
“A European Army has been a demand for 15 or 20 years now… PESCO, the Permanent Structured Cooperation, of which 25 of 28 countries are members, as a strategy, is …to build this army of Europeans step by step from the bottom-up with small projects. For example, common ambulance trains or joint projects in the logistics sector are being set up or certain armament projects are being pushed forward. All this is taking place within the framework of PESCO, and it is unspectacular. No one reports on a German-Hungarian ambulance train. This does not cross the threshold to get into a major daily newspaper or the television news. But it is taking place!… Countries taking part in PESCO, and that is de facto all of them, must be prepared to support the wars that will come – that’s the objective of this project. Germany is indeed the leader at PESCO… [While] PESCO – being a German project – receives some attention within the German press at least, the second European Intervention Initiative, works differently and is not reported on at all as an actual deliberate project.
“A dozen European countries are now participating, and they are not doing training like ambulance trains and joint armament projects. Instead, they orient their existing armed forces towards joint operations. What is already taking place today – such as joint situation analyses and at least thinking through joint deployment scenarios – is thus geared towards rapid joint deployment. The model for this is the war in Libya in 2011, which, with the support of the USA and the participation of other armed forces, was ultimately led primarily by France and Great Britain. And they did not set up a bilateral alliance for years to come, but quickly threw their lot together and learned how to wage war together in practice.
“European imperialism is on the march and preparing for war…”
And so it is, but the world is too blind to recognize it… ntv reported on October 13 in an article, titled “Bundeswehr Probt Atomkrieg” (“Bundeswehr rehearses Nuclear War”) that the German army is participating in at least two NATO maneuvers in Germany (called “Steadfast Noon” and “Resilient Guard”) to prepare for nuclear war. Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy are also participating.
Modern Diplomacy wrote on October 18:
“The German Air Force is setting up a Deployable Control and Reporting Centre (DCRC) at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, supplemented by additional sub-elements at Skede, Latvia and Ämari, Estonia… Germany is Lithuania’s principal ally and a cornerstone guarantee of security and stability in Europe… Germany is also an active participant of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic States…
“Germany is the framework nation of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group deployed for deterrence and defence purposes in Rukla since early 2017, and has the largest portion of troops there…
“Generally, the Baltic States are now on the front line of the increasing tension between NATO and the Russian Federation… Russia might escalate the situation and even could use nuclear weapons. In addition, Ambiguous Nuclear Doctrines in NATO’s and Russia’s nuclear policies create the potential for deliberate escalation. Thus, a potential conflict between NATO and Russia could provoke not only the use of conventional weapons, but also nuclear weapons.”
Germany’s military involvement should not be underestimated, even though it is generally ignored or even ridiculed.
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 must be referring to the Vatican News report on August 2nd 2020 which we quoted in our weekly Update No. 936, dated August 7, 2020. It read, under the headline, “The Pardon of Assisi”:
“Pope Francis invited everyone to receive the ‘Pardon of Assisi’, which can be obtained from the evening of 1 August until midnight on 2 August… ‘It is a plenary indulgence that may be received by partaking of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist and visiting a parish or Franciscan church, reciting the Creed, the Lord’s prayer and praying for the Pope and his intentions,’ the Pope pointed out. He recalled that the indulgence can even be obtained for a deceased person…
“The ‘Pardon of Assisi’ dates back to 1216, when Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and angels appeared before St. Francis. The apparition took place in the tiny Portiuncula, the chapel Francis had built in the Italian town of Assisi. When Jesus asked him [what] he desired for the salvation of souls, St. Francis asked for God to grant a plenary indulgence for all those who enter the chapel. The indulgence was later extended to anyone who visits a parish or Franciscan church on 1 August or 2 August.”
We should bear in mind that according to Catholic teaching, an indulgence is partial if it removes part of the temporal punishment due to sin, or plenary if it removes all punishment. This wrong concept will be discussed in much detail later.
To respond correctly to the question in this Q&A, we do need quite a lot of background as indulgences include those who have died and are in purgatory, according to the Roman Catholic Church, and this is an extension to the belief that man has an immortal soul and the dead go to heaven or hell after death.
While this series contains much information, it is just a small sample compared to so much that is available. It also shows the people of God how blessed they are to have had their minds open to the Truth and not just an acceptance of what we are told, without biblical proof, by those in leadership positions in mainstream Christianity.
This series on indulgencies and underlying concepts is focusing on just one example to show how incredibly unbiblical certain Roman Catholic teachings are. It is so sad that millions upon millions of people believe these ideas without even realizing the absolute absurdity contained in them. Very soon, the Roman Catholic Church, which is described in the Book of Revelation as a fallen church which has rejected God’s Truth, will impose the “mark of the beast” on people readily willing to accept it. This will be the culmination of satanic blasphemy. Protestants have for a long time identified the Catholic Church as the “Babylon” of the book of Revelation, without fully realizing that they are thereby including themselves in that description, as the fallen church is depicted as the “mother church” which has “daughter churches” or “harlot daughters.”
When reading the following, those with open ears and eyes could easily become very angry at the blasphemous concepts depicted and believed in by traditional Christianity. But we must understand that ultimately, it is Satan, the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air, who has deceived the whole world and who has found an easy target in Roman Catholic and Protestant concepts which are really nothing else but pagan ideas which have been given a “Christian” mantle. We are not fighting against flesh and blood—people—but against wicked spirits in high places—the Devil and his demons.
For all text copied from Catholic websites, we will show this in italics so that it can be more easily recognisable as compared to the comments and information that we make.
On the website https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm, we can find the “Catechism of the Catholic Church.” In this Q&A, we will be quoting selectively the appropriate sections from this Catechism as relative to indulgences and concepts related thereto. The numbers at the beginning of each section are their own reference as are other numbers within the text. The definition of “catechism” is “a text summarizing the basic principles of a Christian denomination, usually in question-and-answer form.”
We will use the Roman Catholic “In Brief” writings from their Catechism rather than the fuller version which will still convey their understanding.
“IN BRIEF
“1051 Every man receives his eternal recompense in his immortal soul from the moment of his death in a particular judgment by Christ, the judge of the living and the dead.”
This presupposes that man has an immortal soul. In our booklet “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?,” we state the following on pages 4 and 5 under the heading “Orthodox Christianity Embraces the Idea of an Immortal Soul”:
“According to Catholic belief, the immortal soul enters a person at the time of conception, having been directly and individually created by God with free will and consciousness. The individual soul is present in its totality in each and every organ of the person. Proofs for the accuracy of the teaching of the immortality of the soul are mainly given in light of, 1) alleged appearances of dead people; 2) the universal belief in such a concept; and 3) the biblical statement [discussed herein] that ‘man cannot destroy the soul’ (Matthew 10:28). Originally, Catholics believed that the soul of a dead person enters heaven or hell immediately at the time of death—the idea of a purgatory only became dogma in A.D. 590. Most Protestant denominations, following to a large extent the lead of the Catholic Church in this regard, believe in the immortality of the soul as well.
“Orthodox Christianity adopted the concept of an immortal soul from pagan beliefs. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology points out in its 1992 edition, on p. 1037, ‘Speculation about the soul in the subapostolic church was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy.’
“Again, quoting from Funk & Wagnall’s New Encyclopedia, Vol. 24, article on ‘Soul’: ‘The Christian doctrine of the soul has been strongly influenced by the [Greek] philosophies of Plato and Aristotle… 13th century theologian Thomas Aquinas… accepted Aristotle’s analysis of the soul and body as two conceptually distinguishable elements of a single substance.’
“One of the early proponents of the concept of the immortality of the soul was a Catholic church father by the name of Origen (c. 185–254 A.D.). Around 200 A.D. he claimed that ‘souls are immortal,’ stating at the same time that he was a ‘Platonist who believed in the immortality of the soul’ (Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. IV, pp. 314, 402).
“Further, as we point out in our free booklet, ‘Don’t Keep Christmas,’ followers of the Greek god Mythra believed in an immortal soul as well. Many of those pagan beliefs associated with Mythra were later adopted by, and absorbed into, Orthodox Christianity.”
As we explain in great detail in our booklets, and as it will be discussed later as well in this series, the concept of the immortality of the soul has no biblical foundation and became part of the body of beliefs of the Roman Catholic faith around 200 AD.
In the above-stated quote by the Roman Catholic Catechism, it is also remarked that a person will be judged by Christ in or from the moment of his death. This is erroneous as well. As true Christians, we are already being judged today (1 Peter 4:17), but we will also appear before the judgement seat of Christ at His return (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; Matthew 25:14-46)… not prior to that. (For more information on this, see our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”) Others who have died will be judged when they are being resurrected; not at the time of their death. Death is a sleep without consciousness out of which one must be awakened. This is more fully explained below and also in our free booklets on the “Book of Revelation” and “Punishment for Sins.”
To continue with quotes from the Catholic Catechism:
“1052 We believe that the souls of all who die in Christ’s grace… are the People of God beyond death. On the day of resurrection, death will be definitively conquered, when these souls will be reunited with their bodies” (Paul VI, CPG § 28).
Quoting again from our booklet “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?,” we read that man became a living soul, showing that the human soul is not immortal. The Hebrew word for “soul,” “nephesh,” can refer to dead souls or dead people, and even to animals. We read on page 8:
“When God created man, He created him as a lifeless or a dead person. God then breathed into man’s nostrils and man became alive. Notice how this is described in Genesis 2:7, ‘And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [‘nephesh’].’
“When man was created, he was not yet alive, unlike the animals when they were created. Only when God breathed air into his nostrils did man become alive—he became a living soul. Before that, he was a lifeless soul.”
On page 9 we read: “The concept that persons ARE souls is expressed in many passages, when they are translated correctly. Genesis 12:5 reads, ‘And Abraham took… the souls [‘nephesh’] that they had gotten in Haran.’ Here the word ‘souls’ describes people.
“The same is expressed in Genesis 14:21, ‘And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons [lit. ‘souls’ or ‘nephesh’ in the Hebrew], and take the goods to thyself.’
“Note how Genesis 46:15–27 equates ‘souls’ with ‘persons’: ‘(15) These be the sons of Leah… with his daughter Dinah: all the souls [‘nephesh’ throughout] of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three… (18) These are the sons of Zilpah… even sixteen souls… (22) These are the sons of Rachel… all the souls were fourteen… (25) These are the sons of Bilhah… all the souls were seven. (26) All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six; And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.’”
Continuing with quotes from the Catholic Catechism:
“1053 We believe that the multitude of those gathered around Jesus and Mary in Paradise forms the Church of heaven, where in eternal blessedness they see God as he is and where they are also, to various degrees, associated with the holy angels in the divine governance exercised by Christ in glory, by interceding for us and helping our weakness by their fraternal concern” (Paul VI, CPG § 29).
This statement includes many errors and wrong concepts. First of all, it clearly shows that the Roman Catholic Church believes that people go to heaven after death. It also argues that the dead saints who are allegedly in heaven are interceding for the living. This last concept is clearly blasphemous. Mary is not in paradise (heaven), but she is dead and in her grave, awaiting the resurrection from the dead to eternal life at the time of Christ’s return. The idea that Mary bodily ascended to heaven is a fable derived from paganism. This is true for all the other “saints” (true Christians) who have died. They are not in heaven either, and NO ONE is interceding for the living except our only Mediator and High Priest—Jesus Christ. He is the ONLY “Man” who was resurrected by God the Father from the dead to eternal life, and it is He—and He alone—who intercedes for us. There is only ONE Mediator between God and Man—the “Man Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 2:5).
The above-cited comment by the Catholic Catechism is a complete misunderstanding as to what happens after death.
In our Q&A, “What are the biblical proofs that we do not go to heaven when we die?”, we read the following:
“The idea that we will go to heaven after death is an entirely unbiblical concept. It is derived from paganism.
“As Lewis Brown explains in ‘This Believing World’:
“‘In very early times that idea flourished not alone among the Babylonians and Egyptians, but also among the barbaric tribes in and around Greece… these mysteries [came] down from Thrace or across the sea from Egypt and Asia Minor… they declared that for every man, no matter how poor or vicious, there was a place in heaven. All one had to do was to be “initiated” into the secrets of the cult.
“The Hebrews did not believe that we go to heaven when we die. Neither did the early Christians. But in time, the concept developed within the Roman Catholic Church that one will be saved and go to heaven when one has been baptized into the church as a little baby.
“The Bible does not teach this. Much confusion exists because many do not understand that the Bible speaks of more than one heaven.
“When the Bible speaks of ‘heaven,’ it may refer to any one of three different locations. [See https://www.globalchurchofgod.co.uk/q-a-3756/]. The first heaven is the atmosphere, surrounding the earth, where birds can fly and clouds move (Genesis 1:20; 27:28). The second heaven is the universe, with all its galaxies, suns, stars and planets (Psalm 8:3).
“It is possible for man to reach these two heavens—at least, to a limited extent. But man cannot reach the third heaven, where God dwells—where His angels live and where His throne is located. It is spiritual, not physical. Physical beings cannot enter it—except in a vision—and we won’t go there after our death, either.
“According to the biblical testimony, the only Being who entered the third heaven after death was Jesus Christ. Others saw the third heaven in a vision—such as Daniel (Daniel 7:9), Paul (2 Corinthians 12:2), Stephen (Acts 7:56) or John (Revelation 4:2), but they did not enter heaven in bodily form, or as spirit beings.
“Christ said in John 3:13 that no human being–except He Himself –has entered the third heaven. The original German Luther Bible wrote: ‘And no one goes to heaven except for the Son of Man…’
“… Most translations render the passage as, ‘No one has ascended up to heaven…’, but even then, it is at least clear that no one before Christ ever went to the third heaven. This means that contrary to popular belief, Elijah and Enoch did NOT enter God’s third heaven. [For further information, see: https://www.eternalgod.org/question-and-answer-75/; https://www.eternalgod.org/question-and-answer-85/; https://www.globalchurchofgod.co.uk/please-explain-2-corinthians-58/]
“The same must be true, then, for Abraham, the father of the faithful and a friend of God; Noah; Moses; Samuel; Job; the major and minor prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel; as well as King David, a man after God’s own heart who will rule in the Millennium under Christ over the nations of Israel and Judah. The Bible stresses expressly that David did NOT go to heaven when he died (Acts 2:34, 29).
“The Bible compares death with a dreamless sleep without consciousness, out of which one must awake. Compare John 11:11-14; Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10; Psalm 6:5.
“Man is not nor does he have an immortal soul. Man IS the soul that can and will die (Ezekiel 18:4, 19-20), and that must be resurrected from the dead. In order to enter into eternal life and the Kingdom of God, man must be changed to immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Job 14:14-15; Philippians 3:20-21).
“The very fact that man is mortal and that he must be brought back to life through a resurrection from the dead PROVES that he does not go to heaven when he dies. Martin Luther asked the pertinent question, why there should be a resurrection from the dead if the dead are already living in heaven. He concluded: ‘The fact that there is a resurrection from the dead proves that man does not go to heaven when he dies.’ Sadly, today’s Lutheran Churches have totally rejected the words of their ‘founder.’
“God promised man the gift of eternal life (Titus 1:2)–here on earth (Matthew 5:5). Abraham was promised eternal life on the earth as an inheritance (Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:29). Until now, no one has inherited the promises of eternal life and rulership on the earth (Hebrews 11:13, 39-40).
“When the righteous enters into eternal life, he will reign under Christ during the Millennium. However, he will not reign from or in heaven, but he will reign ON the earth and over the earth (Revelation 5:8-10; 11:15; Daniel 2:44; 7:13-14, 21-22, 26-27).
“Christ will return to the earth—His feet will stand on that day of His appearing on the Mount of Olives—and He will sit on the throne of David… here on earth (Zechariah 14:1-2, 4, 8-9, 11, 16-19; Isaiah 9:6-7; 2:1-4; Jeremiah 23:5). We read that all nations will appear before the judgment seat of Christ… here on earth (Matthew 25:31-34; 41).
“… The biblical understanding is not complicated, but pure and simple, and very easy to comprehend: When a man dies, he is dead, but he will live again through the resurrection from the dead. Until then, he will sleep a dreamless sleep, without any consciousness. He will not go to heaven when he dies, nor will he suffer in a purgatory or ‘hell.’ Rather, he is asleep, until Christ awakens him out of his sleep. And He will, because as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).”
(To be continued)
Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link
compiled by Dave Harris
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/
“How to Love Our Country” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
Are we to love our country in which we live… to be true patriots? If so, what does this mean exactly, and what does it not mean? Many have a wrong concept of true godly love, and this program will give you answers to many misunderstood ideas.
A German AufPostenStehen version of this program has been produced as well, titled, “Wie wir unser Land lieben!”
“Daran erkennen wir die Wahrheit!” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “By This We Know the Truth.”
“What Do You Have to Lose?” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:
The fear of loss has an undeniable effect on our behavior. When we consider how we make decisions, how much do we allow the fear of loss to direct us? When we think about God’s role in our lives, the power over the fear of loss in worldly terms fails to have an effect, freeing us up to act with boldness and courage.
“Do We See Our Calling?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:
What does it really mean to be called by God? Do we truly understand the implications of God’s calling and our responsibility to respond? How can each of us succeed in our calling to salvation in the Kingdom of God?
This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.
Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson
Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank
Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.
While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.
Donations can be sent to the following addresses:
United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198
Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0
United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom
| Live Services | The Fog of War / I Will Never Leave You nor Forsake You |
|---|---|
| Editorial | The Joy Before Us |
| Current Events | This Week in the News |
| Q&A | How are we to receive compliments and praise? |
| The Work | Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock |
On September 26, 2020, Robb Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “The Fog of War,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “I Will Never Leave You nor Forsake You.”
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 28, 2020, is the Day of Atonement. We will conduct live services in the afternoon as follows:
The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/. Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
PLEASE NOTE: We will not publish another Update until October 23, 2020, due to our observance of the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day. There will not be any StandingWatch programs either until the week beginning with October 18.
by Dave Harris
How often do any of us experience feelings of great pleasure and happiness? What events in our lives lead to this kind of joy? Certainly, joy seems hard to come by in our day-to-day living. There is much that dampens or even obliterates our opportunity to live joyful lives.
Yet, joy is characteristic of God. It is part of the fruit of His Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Thus it follows that we who have God’s Spirit should also have this godly attribute. Of course, not everything we experience brings joy, but we also know with certainty that we have hope beyond our present circumstances—the promise of salvation.
Following the return of seventy disciples sent by Jesus to proclaim the gospel, they told of how even demons were subject to them. While this was important, Jesus pointed to something greater:
“‘Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven’” (Luke 10:20).
This prospect was what Jesus Himself focused on. It was what enabled Him to rise above the trials of the moment. Note:
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Jesus prayed for His disciples, asking the Father: “‘But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves’” (John 17:13). In His prayer, Jesus added: “‘I do not pray for these alone [the disciples alive at that time], but also for those who will believe in Me through their word’” (John 17:20).
And so it is that we, today, live with this same hope—the joy that is set before us!
We will once again be attending the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day festivals of God. Indeed, we are appearing before God to, among other things, look forward to God’s glorious Kingdom being established on the earth. Consider how God wants us to celebrate this time:
“‘You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates’” (Deuteronomy 16:13-14).
As the Church of God has understood and practiced, we also rejoice in the Feast based on God’s instructions. We stay in temporary dwellings during this time—memorializing what Israel did when God brought them out of Egypt (Leviticus 23:42-43). We also look forward to the future time in which the modern Houses of Israel and Judah will be brought back into the land God has given to them, for they will be returning from a yet future captivity:
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10).
As we at times struggle to find joy in our lives, let’s look forward with great anticipation and joy to what Jesus promised: “‘Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom’” (Luke 12:32).
by Norbert Link
We begin with the “need” for a core Europe and the deteriorating relationship between Europe and the USA on many different “fronts”; the acknowledgement of the close connection between Belarus and Ukraine; and the hyperactive hurricane season in the Atlantic.
We speak on the fierce battle over the future of the US Supreme Court after the death of Justice Ginsburg on the Feast of Trumpets; and the ongoing legal and political persecution of and discrimination against California’s churches.
We report on an insane second lockdown in Israel and a contemplated insane second lockdown in the UK; ridiculous penalties for those who do not abide by the governments’ arbitrary restrictions and the manipulated panic-stricken public; and we conclude with another reported blasphemous position of Pope Francis.
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
Carnegie Europe wrote on September 17:
“The EU is clearly at its strongest and most convincing and has the most global impact when the twenty-seven countries speak with one voice but also really act together. That’s the nice theory. The reality is different… EU coalitions of the willing—and decisions by qualified majority voting—are inevitable. They are also essential if Europe is to matter in this challenging post-pandemic environment and not be relegated to the role of passive bystander…
“… a second administration by U.S. President Donald Trump would definitely uproot any resemblance of U.S.-European special relationship, dismantling NATO, cozying up to Putin, pointlessly feuding with China, and pushing for a Middle East settlement with no role for EU diplomacy.”
As Trump WILL stay in office, the US-EU relationship WILL deteriorate even more… This, in turn, means that a core Europe WILL develop soon which will give its power and authority to the “beast.” Then, Europe will NOT be a passive bystander in the Middle East… just the opposite.
Newsmax wrote on September 20:
“Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday lamented Europe isn’t on board with the United States in its effort to stop arms sales by Iran. In an interview on Fox News… Pompeo asserted ‘they know we are right’ in wanting to extend the international arms embargo on Iran…
“‘They tell us privately we don’t want the arm sales to come back and they put it in the letter they are very concerned about these sales but they haven’t lifted a finger and done the work that needs to be done,’ he said… ‘They are still wedded to this silly nuclear deal that was signed now five years ago.’”
But the EU does not care about who is right or wrong, as long as they can oppose Trump and cowardly kneel to Iran. Note the next article.
The Guardian wrote on September 20:
“European leaders have warned the US that its claim to have the authority to reimpose sweeping UN-mandated sanctions on Iran has no effect in law, setting up a major legal clash that could lead to Washington imposing sanctions on its European allies. In a joint statement on Sunday, France, Germany and the UK (E3) said any attempt by the US to impose its own sanctions on countries not complying with the reimposed UN ones was also legally void.
“On Saturday, the US moved to reinstate a range of UN sanctions against Iran, saying it had the authority to do so as an original signatory of the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and other major powers. The other signatories claim the US left the JCPOA in 2018 and therefore no longer has a unilateral legal right to either declare Iran in breach of the agreement or to reimpose sanctions in the name of the UN.
“The dispute leaves the US at loggerheads with much of the world on whether UN sanctions have been reimposed. The disagreement is not just a legal wrangle since the Trump administration claims the US now has the authority to act against any country breaching the reimposed sanctions. The US also claims the scheduled lifting of the UN embargo on arms sales to Iran in October is null and void. There is also a risk that the US will claim it has a new mandate to interdict Iranian shipping, a move that could lead to a naval clash in the Gulf.”
This conflict is bound to become a major escalation between the USA and much of the world.
Business Insider wrote on September 20:
“The EU is looking to give itself sweeping new powers to crack down on US tech giants, EU commissioner Thierry Breton revealed… [saying] the new powers the EU is seeking include punitive measures such as forcing tech companies to break off and sell their European operations should their market dominance grow too large.
“Another massive penalty being considered is that the EU could boot tech firms out of the European single market altogether. Breton said these measures would only be used in extreme circumstances, but did not elaborate on what would qualify as extreme… ‘There is a feeling from end-users of these platforms that they are too big to care… We need better supervision for these big platforms…’
“Alongside these powers is a proposed rating system which would give companies scores on categories including tax compliance and how quickly they take down illegal content. The proposals have not yet been finalized, and once they’re submitted, they will have to be approved by the European Parliament and the European Council. Breton said the first draft of the new laws would be ready by the end of this year.
“Europe isn’t the only place where Silicon Valley is facing increased regulation. President Donald Trump is trying to… weaken legal protections currently afforded to internet companies under a US law [which] protects companies from being liable for illegal content posted by users, and gives them broad powers to moderate their platforms.”
As we mentioned before, these tech giants have no constitutional mandate to protect free speech. But governmental intrusion to compel them to take down illegal content might be equally problematic, depending on how governments define “illegal” content.
Deutsche Welle wrote on September 17:
“Embattled Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday said troops would be pulled from the street to guard its borders with EU countries. ‘We are compelled to withdraw our troops from the streets, have half our army on guard and close our state border with the West, first of all with Lithuania and Poland,’ said Lukashenko. ‘To our greatest regret, we are compelled to strengthen our border with brotherly Ukraine.’…
“On Friday, nearly 30 countries issued a joint statement calling on Belarusian authorities to end internet blackouts…”
Still, Ukraine and Belarus will become part of or at least supporters of Russia, in opposition to the EU.
The Guardian wrote on September 21:
“Thousands of Britons living in the EU will have their UK bank accounts closed by the end of the year because of the UK’s failure to agree [to] a post-Brexit trade deal. Lloyds, Barclays and Coutts have informed retail and business customers that they will lose their accounts before or when the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December and more banks are expected to follow suit. Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Halifax and Bank of Scotland, has contacted its 13,000 customers in the Netherlands, Slovakia, Germany, Ireland and Portugal, warning them they must make alternative arrangements as the bank is no longer allowed to offer services…
“Last week, the Dutch National Bank confirmed that UK banks will no longer be able to provide current or savings accounts to retail customers in the Netherlands.”
The separation between the EU and the UK becomes bigger.
The Week wrote on September 19:
“Tropical Storm Beta formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday night right after Tropical Storm Wilfred and Subtropical Storm Alpha in the Atlantic, marking the first time since certainly 1953 — when storms were first named — and possibly 1893 that three new storms were named in one day. There have been 23 named storms during the 2020 hurricane season.
“Because the World Meteorological Organization skips the letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z, forecasters officially ran out of planned names for the season with Winifred, forcing them to turn to the Greek alphabet. It’s only the second time that the Atlantic hurricane season has made it through the alphabet and the earliest that has happened as well, underscoring this year’s hyperactivity. Winifred is expected to fizzle out before hitting land, Alpha is headed toward Europe, and Beta could become a Hurricane that poses a serious threat to the Texas coast.”
Newsmax wrote on September 20:
“Tropical Storm Beta on Sunday was making a slow crawl to the shores of Texas and Louisiana, casting worries about heavy rain, flooding and storm surge across the Gulf Coast. Beta was one of three named storms whirling in the Atlantic basin during an exceptionally busy hurricane season. If the system makes landfall in Texas — which forecasters predict it will sometime Monday — it would be the ninth named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. in 2020. Colorado State hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach said that would tie a record set in 1916.”
Who can honestly deny the fact that the USA IS cursed?
Reuters and The Algemeiner wrote on September 19:
“A fierce political battle was shaping up on Saturday over the future of the US Supreme Court after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with Democrats opposing any move by President Donald Trump to nominate a replacement this late in an election year.
“Ginsburg, the senior liberal justice, died on Friday night at age 87 of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer after 27 years on the court. Her death gives Trump, who is seeking re-election on Nov. 3, a chance to expand the court’s conservative majority to 6-3 at a time of a gaping political divide in America… Supreme Court appointments require Senate confirmation, and Trump’s fellow Republicans control the chamber, holding 53 seats of the 100 seats. Democrats lack the votes to block any Trump nominee unless some Republican senators join them.
“With the assistance of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has made confirmation of Trump’s federal judicial nominees a top priority, the president potentially could announce a nominee and move rapidly through the confirmation process, which usually takes at least two months… McConnell pledged that the Senate would vote on any Trump nominee…
“Conservative activists for years have sought to get enough votes on the Supreme Court to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. During the 2016 campaign, Trump promised to appoint justices who would overturn that decision. But the court in July, even with its conservative majority, struck down a restrictive Louisiana abortion law on a 5-4 vote…”
After Jewish Justice Ginsberg’s death on the Feast of Trumpets, Trump said Republicans have the “obligation” to move forward with the selection of a new Supreme Court Justice “without delay.” Trump announced that he will nominate a woman by this weekend. After Mitt Romney announced that he will vote for the nomination, enough Republican votes in the Senate have been secured so that Trump’s victory of getting a new conservative judge is assured.
The Week wrote on September 23:
“The House passed a stopgap funding bill on Tuesday with a 359-57 vote, averting a government shutdown after the budget year ends on Sept. 30. This measure, which keeps federal agencies running through Dec. 11, is expected to pass in the Senate. It includes Agriculture Department subsidies for farmers and ranchers, which was pushed by the Trump administration, as well as food aid for poor families whose children cannot get free or reduced lunches due to schools being closed, something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) requested. In addition to keeping agencies funded, the measure also extends health programs, as well as federal flood insurance and highway and transit programs.”
The Daily Mail wrote on September 21:
“The Justice Department declared New York City, Portland, and Seattle as ‘anarchist jurisdictions’ that can have federal funding ripped away for failing to clamp down on violence according to its criteria. It listed the three cities as among those ‘that have permitted violence and destruction of property to persist and have refused to undertake reasonable measures to counteract criminal activity.’
“The designation comes with billions of dollars in federal funding at stake, following President Donald Trump’s order to make the designations amid violence and property damage that occurred during a summer of protests…”
Democrats cry foul, but are they blind towards what is going on in these cities under their rule?
MSN wrote on September 20:
“Speaking Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, the former vice president said 200 million people will die from the coronavirus ‘probably by the time I finish this talk.’ Either that or he said 200 million have died already from the pandemic. It is not clear exactly what he meant to say. What is clear is that Biden said the COVID-19 death toll in the United States is somewhere in the millions. It is not…
“Biden almost certainly meant to say that 200 million have died already from the coronavirus, not that 200 million likely died in the time that it took for him to deliver his address in Philadelphia. But, man alive, that is not much of a defense. Biden’s number is nowhere near close to being accurate. As of this writing, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the U.S. stands at 199,479… Biden is off by a magnitude of 199,800,521. Missed it by that much.
“The question now is whether Biden’s estimate is a simple screw-up or an intentional falsehood. Given how badly he botched his reading of his prepared remarks, it seems more likely the Democratic nominee merely made a mistake when he said ‘million’ instead of ‘thousand.’ After all, he did get the ‘200’ part right.
“Then again… Biden tends to overstate estimates. Badly. Biden claimed earlier this year during a visit to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that 120 million people had died from the coronavirus. Not even close. Earlier than that, the Democratic nominee claimed 150 million Americans have been killed by gun violence since 2007. Again, that is not even close to being true. There is also the fact that Biden has a long, long history of exaggerating, embellishing, and outright lying.
“Did Biden intentionally lie Sunday? Probably not. It was probably an honest gaffe… is more likely that along with everything else he screwed up during his address, he simply bungled the COVID-19 death toll. But that is what happens when one tells as many lies as Biden has. Even honest screw-ups must be handled with suspicion.”
We know that Trump lies. We also know that Biden lies. What a choice for voters…
The Hill wrote on September 19:
“President Trump ‘has broken a 39-year streak of American presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict.’ The Norwegian official who said that, in nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, minced no words about why the president should win it.
“Trump’s Peace Prize nomination has yet again killed expertise. For decades, the self-proclaimed experts have peddled solutions that never worked. Now, while the president brokers historic peace deals in a region where 4,500 American military members died, the experts propose cancelling the Peace Prize. Instead, if the Nobel committee fails to award the Peace Prize to Trump next month, the Peace Prize will end itself. ‘For his merit,’ said the Norwegian official of Trump, ‘I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees.’
“No doubt that is true. Certainly, Trump has created more peace than 1994 winner Yasser Arafat — and more than the 2009 winner, then-President Obama, who relied heavily on foreign policy experts to downgrade America’s preeminence in world affairs. Foreign policy experts countered former President Reagan in his fight against communism. They opposed Reagan at every turn; he ignored them and won the Cold War…
“Trump campaigned on promising to end our ‘forever’ wars… His agenda was clear. His goals were unpopular with foreign policy experts but popular with the families of our military members, not to mention with taxpayers. Why pay for no discernible progress in Iraq and Afghanistan while our own infrastructure crumbles at home?…”
Even the EU received the peace prize in 2012. This is something to contemplate…
Newsmax wrote on September 20:
“Democrat leadership in California has gone so far in overreaching its ‘authority’ on pandemic restrictions, churches are forced to crusade to get their rights back… according to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone…
“‘The government really has no authority to tell us whether or not we can worship,’ he said. ‘They have no authority to tell us whether or not we’re essential. They have no authority to tell us what forms of worship are essential and which are not… Religious freedom is a fundamental right; it’s protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. It’s not given by the First Amendment; it’s protected by the First Amendment.’
“San Francisco is not respecting the rights of its constituents, and is ‘absolutely targeting’ people of faith, he added. ‘… They are discriminating against us…’ People of faith need to rise up against the Democrat leaders doing it, he concluded. ‘I sense that people are getting really fed up…’”
There can be no doubt about this. Note the next article.
Patch wrote on September 13:
“Grace Community Church in Sun Valley held a packed morning service Sunday, defying a court order directing them to refrain from holding indoor services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pastor John MacArthur prefaced the service by complaining about the many health measures required by local and state authorities to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.
“‘The question has come up a number of times about why Grace Church does not just comply with the orders that have been laid down for churches, and I thought it might be helpful to give you the list of things that are required of us as a church, so that you understand how utterly impossible that would be,’ MacArthur said. He then read a long list of requirements, occasionally drawing laughter from parishioners at rules about parking, restroom protocols and social distancing. MacArthur said following all the rules would ‘completely shut the church down.’
“… On Thursday, a judge issued a temporary restraining order directing the church to refrain from holding indoor services, saying there’s an ‘immediate threat to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic.’ Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff also directed Grace Community Church to mandate that congregation members wear masks and practice physical distancing if the house of worship decides to hold outdoor services. Beckloff heard arguments on Los Angeles County’s motion for a preliminary injunction on Sept. 4, then took the case under submission before ruling. Both he and Judge James Chalfant had collectively denied the county’s four previous bids for a temporary restraining order, but Beckloff said this time, the county had ‘demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits’ of its claims…
“Church attorney Charles LiMandri said there will be an appeal… ‘The coronavirus is dying out,’ LiMandri said, while maintaining that the massive protests that came after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked the rise in cases, not people going to church. ‘They are targeting the church, they don’t go after the protesters,’ LiMandri said…”
That extremely left-wing California is targeting and discriminating against Christian churches is obvious. A movement has begun to recall Governor Newsom, but the question is, who would replace him? California has not been very fortunate with having a somewhat competent governor, Ronald Reagan being a notable exception. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not deliver what he had promised, and subsequently lost even more credibility due to his long-lasting infidelity and his ridiculous support of wearing masks, self-isolation and house arrests, and other California governors turned out to be corrupt.
To be clear, such illegal persecution is happening all over the world. Let’s take Germany as another example where constitutional rights are trampled underfoot. As Focus reported on September 22, a superior court judge from the state of North Rhine – Westphalia, Thorsten Schleiff, voiced strongly his opposition to German politics, seriously infringing on fundamental constitutional rights of millions of citizens due to coronavirus measures, claiming that the courts should have prevented this but that many of his colleagues were too fearful and “panic-stricken” to do so. He is absolutely right.
EricMargolis.com wrote on September 21:
“The Trump administration… just manufactured its own news by confecting a ‘peace’ deal between Israel and a bunch of… Arab monarchies… The Gulf monarchies – the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – that signed this agreement are so frightened of neighboring Iran that they would happily have opted for Israeli rule…
“Few Americans could find these little sheikdoms on a map. But many evangelical voters… will think the Trump administration has achieved a major feat by supposedly bringing peace to the Holy Land…
“The United Arab Emirates, population just under 10 million, is only 10% Arab. The rest of its people are mainly Indians and Pakistani…
“As for peace in the Mideast, recall the biting words of Roman historian Tacitus, ‘where they make a desert they call it peace.’…”
… and a mirage it IS…
The Times of Israel wrote on September 17:
“Israel will become the world’s first country to reimpose [a second] lockdown on Friday… Scheduled to last for at least three weeks, the imminent national closure has been met with fury by many Israelis,… decrying the economic consequences, and devastated at the idea of the Jewish holiday season confined within 500 meters of their homes.
“In an address to the nation on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted not only that the lockdown is necessary, but that around the world, other governments will also face the decision of whether to impose new nationwide lockdowns, ‘and most of them in my opinion will have no choice but to do so.’ By contrast, opposition leader Yair Lapid is adamant. The lockdown, he says, ‘is an admission of failure. The citizens are being punished because the government failed.’ Lapid called it a ‘death blow to the Israeli economy,’ and predicted that it won’t save lives…
“Doctors are divided as to whether the coming lockdown is actually the solution with the best chance of success… It’s telling that official notices of lockdown rules don’t feature a firm end date. The ‘three week lockdown’ could wind up lasting much longer.”
And so, Satan is vigorously pursuing his goal of imprisoning the entire world, knowing that this is his fate when Christ returns.
The Times of Israel wrote on September 20:
“Police on Sunday afternoon said they had handed out 2,802 fines over the past day for various infractions of lockdown rules and other coronavirus regulations…
“Police said the majority of fines, 2,044, were given to people who ventured out over a kilometer from their homes without valid cause. Another 629 were given for failure to wear masks, 37 were handed out for breaking quarantine, 30 were given to businesses or other locations that opened against the rules, and other small numbers for various offenses.”
This IS insane autocratic dictatorship!
The Daily Mail published on September 19 an article by Professor Karol Sikora:
“Britain is now in grave danger of sleepwalking into a second national lockdown. The consequences of doing so would be disastrous. We find ourselves in this wretched position partly because the Government’s main achievement since the pandemic first emerged in China has not been suppressing the virus or saving lives or the economy, but in spreading irrational fear… The disruption to family life caused by the summer lockdown, and the new restrictions imposed since then, have demoralised and isolated many. Their fear has been compounded by the actions of a Government that is not in charge of events, buffeted by the conflicting advice of scientists…
“… a return to a blanket lockdown is the last thing we should be contemplating if we are serious about the nation’s mental and physical well-being. We simply cannot afford to panic… the vast majority of those currently testing positive for Covid are experiencing mild symptoms and remain in good overall health. The other point to remember is that the terrible death toll Britain suffered in the spring was due largely to the grotesque error of clearing hospitals of elderly patients and sending them, untested, into care homes… Not a single young child has died in the UK from Covid without some other serious pre-existing condition… anyone under 50 is more likely to die in a car crash than from the virus…
“My field is cancer. I make no apology for highlighting that 30,000 extra cancer deaths will soon emerge thanks to delays in doctors picking up symptoms and in patients being referred for scans and tests. Tragically, these people are doomed to die, though many of them do not know it yet. Many will be thirty or forty years younger than the vast majority of those dying of Covid. And it’s not just cancer: Roughly 100,000 people suffer a stroke every year. This year, almost one third of sufferers have put off seeking treatment during the pandemic, delaying the use of vital blood-thinning drugs that limit the long-term damage caused by a stroke…”
On September 20, BBC news gave the number of deaths from coronavirus in the last 24 hours and in small print below it read: “Deaths for any reason within 28 days of a positive test.” Now that’s interesting: Someone has a positive test and dies of cancer, a heart attack or a road accident within 28 days of the test and it counts as a coronavirus death! This is just plain dishonest and whipping up fear!
Express added on September 20:
“Boris Johnson announced new strict rules on Saturday which will see heavy penalties ushered in for rule-breakers. As of September 28, anyone caught ignoring the rules risks incurring a £1,000 fine while repeat offenders could be fined up to £10,000…
“Asked if people should be forced to fork out £10,000 for failing to quarantine themselves,… 57 percent… said yes. While… 42 percent… said Britons should not face such a hefty penalty. Only… one percent… of respondents said they didn’t know.”
That would mean, the majority of panic-driven manipulated Brits have gotten totally mad…
The Sun wrote on September 21:
“Boris Johnson [announced] a 10pm closing time for pubs… Northern Ireland’s first minister Arlene Foster said that people would be BANNED from mixing with other households inside… The clampdown will see pubs and restaurants shut down by patrols – and groups could be broken up and fined…
“First Minister Nicola Sturgeon… faces a backlash as ministers fear a second lockdown will kill the economy… People in the North and Midlands are already banned from visiting others in their homes or gardens, or hanging out with people they don’t live with in pubs and restaurants… This also means people who don’t live together can’t meet their lovers either…
“Wales also revealed today four new areas will face local lockdowns from tomorrow night, it was confirmed today… People can’t leave the area without a good reason – such as school or work… people will not be allowed to socialise with ANY friends and family outside of their own households either – inside or outside. That includes public places like pubs and parks, but also inside private homes and gardens too… Those measures could be seen across the nation.”
Boris Johnson also said his new measures might have to last for 6 months, and that “significantly greater restrictions” could be slapped on the country. He also said that the army could be used to help police enforce his restrictions. Britain will NEVER recover from this economic destruction. There have been enough studies and articles by now proving that such serious measures and lockdowns don’t work and are dangerous. Willful ignorance does not protect against or prevent disaster.
Global Research wrote on September 20:
“… both countries were showing a slight decline in deaths over the last five years… less people were dying in Sweden than England… [within a] few months into 2020 (when the lockdowns began) both countries saw a sudden and sharp rise in deaths; but England’s peak was at least twice that of Sweden. Clearly a higher percentage of people have dropped dead in England than Sweden.
“Sweden of course had very little containment measures in place. Social distancing was done on a volunteer basis. There was no lockdown. Nursing homes were belatedly put into quarantine. England, on the other hand, went into full lockdown mode with police drones trailing joggers with a timer clicking away their allotted exercise ration…
“Sweden’s lack of restrictions did not hurt its population. The country’s winter death toll was not much higher than in 2015, 2017 and 2018. On the other hand, despite lockdown, masks and a social distancing police state, England saw about double the number of deaths it usually sees at that time of the year…
“As studies have shown, there are many reasons to conclude that locking people up, scaring them out of their minds and destroying their livelihood is quite harmful to their health.”
The Sun reported on September 22 that “lockdown-free Sweden [is] ‘on the brink of beating Covid after achieving herd immunity.’”
Newsmax wrote on September 21:
“Wall Street’s main indexes hit their lowest in nearly seven weeks on Monday as concerns about fresh coronavirus-driven lockdowns and a stalemate in Congress over more fiscal stimulus raised fears about another hit to the domestic economy… Wall Street has tumbled in the past three weeks as investors dumped heavyweight technology-related stocks…
“Another round of business restrictions will threaten a nascent recovery in the wider economy and add further pressure on equity markets, analysts said. The first round of lockdowns in March had led the S&P 500 to suffer its worst monthly decline since the global financial crisis.”
The evil consequences of ill-conceived lockdowns…
rtl wrote on September 19 about the following comments by German Health Minister Jens Spahn:
“Be watchful and alert, but don’t adopt an end time approach… there is no reason for that… the rising cases are caused mainly through parties, weddings and religious assemblies…”
These comments are not very comforting or reassuring… and the basis for his claimed reasons for rising cases is not supported by the evidence.
The New York Post wrote on September 20:
“Pope Francis reassured parents of LGBT children that ‘God loves your children as they are,’ and that there is a place in the church for them… The exchange came during a meeting last week with ‘Tenda di Gionata,’ or ‘Jonathan’s Tent,’ an Italian group of Christian parents of LBGT children founded in 2018…
“The group grew out of a church vigil in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, where [several] parents of LGBTQ children [met] — inspired by the preaching of the Rev. Paolo Cugini, who believes that ‘faith and homosexuality are not in opposition.’”
The Catholic Church might think and teach that way, but the Bible says otherwise. In the Word of God, the practice of homosexuality is an “abomination,” and children must NOT be taught that it is all right in the eyes of God.
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.
Knowing that human pride is a characteristic that Christians need to monitor closely and remove, how are we to respond when we receive a compliment? Should Christians reject all compliments from others? Is it possible to accept compliments from others without conceding to human pride? Is it possible to receive another’s compliment with complete joy, rather than mere acquiescence?
As a foundation in answering this question, we need to begin with an understanding of why human pride (correctly understood) is condemned. Citing from our Q&A asking, “Is Pride Always Condemned in the Bible? Part 1”, “God condemns human pride, which is opposed to God and which is unwilling to submit to Him. God despises those who wallow in haughtiness and who boast in their self-confidence and self-conceit. Such an attitude prevents a person from loving and obeying God with all of one’s heart and from loving his neighbor as oneself.”
This kind of pride is a human attribute, influenced by Satan, that elevates self above God and diminishes the glory of God. Pride became the downfall of Lucifer, who believed he was greater than God. It should be no surprise that Satan broadcasts a message that convinces the carnal man that he doesn’t need God or that God can be worshipped in ways that man has invented in His absence. For this reason, such pride is dangerous. When it begins to grow in one’s life, it results in an outcome of leading one away from God.
Compliments and praise undoubtedly offer fodder for pride unless we are careful. Hearing good things about ourselves can easily cause us to lift our opinions of ourselves if we aren’t grounded in understanding the source of our gifts. But it is perfectly fine to receive a compliment or accept praise when we acknowledge that God is the one who provides us with the good in our lives.
The Bible contains several examples of praise directed towards people. From these we will see how it is acceptable to accept compliments with sincere gratitude. We will also see how the examples of praise properly received gives glory to God, rather than man.
The example of Job provides us with a good example to begin with. The story opens up with God offering Job a compliment. “Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?’” (Compare Job 1:8, Job 2:3). While this is a compliment offered indirectly, we can still see that God is pleased with Job’s behavior – at least to begin with. Because of this, God expresses His praise for Job. However, as the story of Job progresses, his self-righteousness and pride become exposed. Job develops the opinion that he has done nothing to deserve his punishment, and condemns God because of it. Ultimately, God confronts him on the issue. Only then does Job see with utter clarity the error of his ways, acknowledging his imperfection, and repenting bitterly (compare Job 42:1-6). With humility, putting his pride in check, Job becomes even more blessed than he had been at the beginning (compare Job 42:12).
Job provides us with an initial counterexample of how to receive praise. Job’s conduct was pleasing to God, and certainly praiseworthy. However, by believing that his righteousness was for his own glory, Job missed the point. God is to be glorified as the Almighty, the Creator, the One without beginning or end, who rightly and justly rules over all creation. Yet, Job did not see that there can be no wrong with God, and wrongly accused God of judging him unjustly. The lesson is that we, as flesh and blood members of the human race, are not to develop opinions of ourselves that bring glory to ourselves when it rightly belongs to God.
The Bible contains several examples that demonstrate the correct way to receive praise. That is, by accepting the compliment acknowledging the gift that comes from God.
When Joseph was called to Pharaoh to interpret dreams, Pharaoh paid him a compliment as one who was endowed with the skill he sought. “And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.’ So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace’” (Genesis 41:15-16). This example shows the correct frame of mind to have when receiving a compliment. When Joseph was praised for having the skill to interpret dreams, he was quick to acknowledge that the ability did not come from him, but from the gift of God. In this, Joseph glorified God, and in turn influenced Pharaoh to also acknowledge His power (compare Genesis 41:37). Compliments directed toward us really belong to God who blesses us.
Jesus Christ offered compliments, either directly or indirectly, to many individuals who expressed faith and other godly virtues (compare Luke 21:3-4, Luke 18:13-14, Matthew 15:28, Luke 17:19, Mark 10:52, Luke 18:42). The example of the centurion who came to Jesus asking for healing of his servant provides us with a particularly inspiring model. “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! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 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 8:8-13). In this example, the centurion receives praise from Jesus in the midst of many others. The praise bestowed upon him for his faith could have easily gone to his head, causing the centurion to think more of his righteous behavior than he ought. However, the example of humility and subservience to Christ stands out poignantly. By acknowledging Jesus Christ’s power and authority, the centurion accepts the compliment of his faith with grace.
Not only did Jesus Christ offer compliments, but he also received them. At the beginning of His ministry when He became baptized by John, God pays Jesus Christ a compliment from the heavens, declaring, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Compare Matthew 3:17). As we know, Jesus led a perfectly righteous life, overcoming all temptation and defeating sin. It was for that purpose that God the Father sent His Son to the Earth. To witness that event when His ministry began was clearly a proud moment for God. We don’t see the response from Jesus when paid this compliment from His Father, but other places in the Bible clearly express how He considered His righteousness.
Jesus knew that the glory of His righteousness belonged to God. In expressing the plan of God, Jesus said, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30, compare also John 5:19). Clearly, Jesus Christ understood that His ability to live a righteous life was a direct result of the Father’s Holy Spirit working mightily within Him to maintain the perfect judgment with the mind of God. This serves as an example for us as followers of Christ, that our ability to judge righteously works the same way. When we are able to do what is right, the glory belongs to God. Even the most subtle of compliments received by Jesus Christ were an opportunity for Him to glorify His Father in heaven.
Our model to follow ought to be clear. The right way to receive a compliment from others is by acknowledging the good that works in our lives as coming through God’s inspiration and His Holy Spirit that dwells within us. The source of all that is truly good are blessings from God. Paul expresses the perspective that we should have in 2 Corinthians 3:5, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” The work that Paul and his coworkers did, laid the groundwork for the Church of God that we belong to today. It is not an overstatement to say that the effect of their work was tremendous. Yet, in the enormity of that work, Paul’s perspective is one of humility. The glory goes to God, not man. For He provides us with the source of strength (compare Psalm 28:7, Psalm 27:1, Exodus 15:2).
When we live our lives in obedience to God’s commandments, we will bear good fruit that those around us will recognize. Happy families, good relationships with people around us, abundance in our work, and spiritual prosperity are fruits that even the world can see. When we receive compliments from people who acknowledge the product of our inspired lives, what will we do? Will we allow a belief to take root in our minds that we are something important because of what we alone have done? Or will we do what Jesus Christ instructs us to do? Will we give thanks and pass along the praise to God so that He may receive the glory? “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Lead Writer: Eric Rank
compiled by Dave Harris
Here are the dates for the Fall Holy Days;
We are pleased to announce the marriage of Anna Ruoff and Michael Link on September 24, 2020, in Escondido, California. The ceremony was conducted by Norbert Link. Congratulations!
“Satan Rules This World—Does He Rule You?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
Satan has been very busy. Many are falling for his evil devices. But God requires of us that we love and obey Him in everything. Through governmental restrictions under his influence, Satan is using the same tactic as he did when deceiving Eve in the Garden of Eden. Eve fell for it, and Adam followed his wife, convincing themselves that a “little” disobedience did not really matter. Far too many of God’s people are following today Adam and Eve’s bad example. Don’t you be one of them!
“Rechtfertigt unsere Angst Ungehorsam gegen Gott?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Does our Fear Justify Disobedience towards God?”
“Dankbarkeit,” the sermonette presented on the Feast of Trumpets by Dmitrij Niemanns is now posted. Title in English: “Thankfulness.”
“Soldier On,” the morning sermonette presented by Eric Rank on the Feast of Trumpets, is now posted. Here is a summary:
Being a Christian inherently involves conflict with the world, which increasingly rejects God. In the battle we fight against evil, what do we need to do to assure our victory?
“We Must Be Ready!” the morning sermon presented by Dave Harris on the Feast of Trumpets, is now posted. Here is a summary:
The world is not watching, nor is it prepared for what is about to happen! A time of overwhelming trouble and dreadful tribulation approaches, but who understands this? Do you and will you be among the very few who are ready?
“Christian Paradigm,” the afternoon Offertory presented by Kalon Mitchell on the Feast of Trumpets, is now posted. Here is a summary:
How often do we do the same things, over and over? How often do we think that we know what’s best? God challenges us to change. God challenges us to think and act as He thinks and acts. The choice is ours and the question is what will we do?
“God’s Message Must Be Preached Today,” the afternoon sermon presented by Norbert Link on the Feast of Trumpets, is now posted. Here is a summary:
The Feast of Trumpets (on September 19, 2020) has much symbolic meaning for us. It includes a message of God for the end time, which must be proclaimed today by His watchful servants in blowing trumpets loudly and clearly. And the message will be proclaimed! In addition to serious warnings, it includes the good news of the return of Jesus Christ; the coming rule of God on earth; and our entrance into God’s eternal Kingdom.
The YouTube channel for the Church of the Eternal God presents past videos for StandingWatch programs along with sermonettes, sermons and promotional videos. These are also available on our website: www.eternalgod.org.
This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.
Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson
Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank
Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.
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