On May 30, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (May 30, 2020),” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Facing Death.”

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.

Pentecost:

On Sunday, May 31, 2020, Morning Services will be conducted at 9:00 AM Pacific Time. Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Singleness of Heart,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “The Journey and the Destination.” Afternoon Services will be conducted at 2:00 PM Pacific Time. Kalon Mitchell will present the Offertory, and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Will Christ Find Faith on the Earth?”

The Bible warns us that a lack of zeal will be predominant in the end-time Church of the Laodiceans. Boldly standing up for the Truth seems to be a rare commodity these days. It may be perceived as uncomfortable or not important, and it might even cloud one’s perspective as to what God requires of us. To give a recent example, we posted in our last Update an article by Natural Health, dated May 16, addressing Dr. Judy Mikovits “jaw-dropping allegations” about Dr. Anthony Fauci and her viewpoint on the origin of the coronavirus and the role of the pharmaceutical industry. Many of Mikovits’ statements and claims are contained in a video, titled Plandemic. The mass media rejects Mikovits’ claims and the video has been repeatedly banned, removed and reposted.

But as Deutsche Welle wrote on May 15:

“Questioning the intelligence of anyone who criticizes coronavirus protection measures shows we haven’t learned from the polarization of the past and shuts the door on any chance for dialogue… What yesterday was considered a conspiracy theory has now become widely accepted fact… And yet many journalists, analysts and politicians still have a need to put everyone who thinks differently into a clear-cut cubbyhole…

“People have put up with so much over the last few weeks: Following stay-at-home orders and contact bans, trying to understand contradictory experts’ opinions on face masks… when these very people want to express their displeasure, concern or skepticism, they are, at best, called perfectly normal citizens who let themselves be manipulated by ‘conspiracy theorists!’… It is simply not enough to muzzle unwelcome criticism with derogative classifications…”

It is interesting that the Bible warns us not to say a “conspiracy” concerning “all that this people call a conspiracy,” nor to “be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled” (Isaiah 8:12).

To explain further why we published, for example, excerpts from the above-mentioned article by Natural Health about Dr. Mikovitz, we wrote the following in a recent Q&A:

“In all of this, we must understand that the Church is not engaged in politics. We do not endorse any political candidate or party, and we do not vote in governmental elections.  We do not, of course, participate in war, either. But this does not mean that we would not comment on wrong behavior and propaganda of politicians and social and religious leaders. In that light, we will publish articles with viewpoints different from the ‘official’ versions of the mass media, as long as those viewpoints appear relevant and seem to have merit, and it behooves the reader to evaluate those opposing views in the light of biblical values.”

This has been and will continue to be our stance, as it serves to discover the Truth. Subsequently however, we learned that the President of a large Church of God organization took the exact opposite approach, stating this in a letter:

“… a controversial video production has grown popular as an alternative political explanation for the origin and spread of the coronavirus. The video production, titled Plandemic, has entered the mainstream, with subsequent millions of views. Instead of reassurance, comfort and human solidarity during a painful crisis, it promotes division, assumes evil motives and sows doubt… Promoting such thinking certainly must not be our legacy as ambassadors for Christ… In some Church of God communities, this video production and other alternative explanations of the origins of the coronavirus have produced increasing confusion and division… It is not the Church’s role to judge the veracity of productions like Plandemic. As stated, we are not medical experts. But it is the Church’s role to teach and preach what Jesus commanded us: ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another’ (John 13:34…)… It means we have respect for each other. It means we refrain from posting things that can cause offense. It means we don’t provoke one another negatively (Galatians 5:26).”

Even though this letter contains all kinds of contradictions and inconsistencies, it tells the audience in a nutshell to refrain from stating or posting any critical remarks which may question the official positions in government and the mainly left-wing mainstream media, as this might cause division, doubt and confusion. We are sorry to say, but standing up for the Truth will cause division, as Christ said.

Another large Church of God organization published this: “There are a lot of differing opinions flying about on the Internet and television at this time. Many question whether it was necessary to shut down nation after nation around the world. Before getting caught up in the emotions and politics of it all, never forget who is the prince of the power of the air, the one who is directing the course of this world. He is creating confusion and would love for the people of God to take their eyes off the goal.”

But what is that goal? Is it to blind ourselves to the Truth and accept, without thinking, what the left-wing mainstream media and the politicians want us to believe?

Both organizations also issued statements reflecting a dangerous lack of understanding regarding our approach towards human government, in that obedience and respect for authority were demanded while the concept of obeying God rather than men was totally ignored and not mentioned at all. We are not just focusing on these two groups, but quoting these excerpts as warning examples for all of our readers.

In a recent Q&A, we said this:

“The concept of submitting to human governments and their political propaganda must be seen in context. We have just completed a new booklet, which we have posted on our website, titled, “Obeying God rather than Men.” Printed copies should be available very soon. In this booklet, we point out that we must never obey man, when we would thereby violate God’s Law, in letter or in spirit. This also means that we cannot adopt and endorse man’s concepts and ideas when they are in opposition to God’s directives…”

In our new booklet on “Obeying God rather than Men,” we state the following, under the headline, “What the Mark of the Beast Means for Us Today”:

“True Christians understand that the Sabbath and the Holy Days must be kept, and that they must not instead accept the mark of the beast by worshipping on Sunday and pagan holidays, and by refusing to worship on God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths.

“But how does this play out in practice when the government prohibits Christian churches to meet and assemble on the Sabbath? They might not even place this prohibition under a religious mantle, but they might give some other reasons, such as the outbreak of a pandemic that would require people to stay at home. The weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days are commanded biblical holy assemblies or holy convocations (compare Leviticus 23). We should ask ourselves whether refusing to follow God’s command, because the government says so, would be pleasing to God (compare Hebrews 10:25; the Living Bible states: ‘Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near’).

“In the past, some Church groups have been far too quick to follow the guidance (not even at first a directive) of a particular government and have prohibited worship services worldwide for all of their members, even though the government of one particular country did not speak for other countries, and even though an alleged pandemic had not even reached some of the countries in which members lived. Other Church groups followed the subsequent directive of the government of their country, but did not limit their prohibition of services to that country, but prohibited all their members worldwide to meet anywhere.”

Much more is addressed in this new booklet, and we hope to be able to send printed copies very soon to our subscribers and to make them available to everyone who asks for them.

We are going to observe the Feast of Pentecost this Sunday, remembering when God bestowed His Holy Spirit on His apostles and many other disciples. God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Truth and of a sound mind. It is a Spirit being eager and anxious to find the Truth in whatever area —and it is not a Spirit of fear or of not wanting to know the Truth or even a willingness to suppress the Truth. Just believing and not questioning “official” explanations by the main-stream media and politicians is most certainly NOT what the Holy Spirit of God is all about. Rather, the Spirit of God “searches all things” (1 Corinthians 2:10), and so we, as future kings, are to search for and find the Truth (Proverbs 25:2), which will set us free from all error.

by Norbert Link

We begin with America’s strong verbal response to Iran’s call for eliminating Israel’s “Zionist” regime and invoking the “final solution” while Israel announced its decision to annex areas of the West Bank in July.

We continue with America’s grim economic future in the light of the coronavirus which is being described as “the final kick into the abyss.”

 We report on horrible contemplated measures in Germany regarding parents and school children; and really bad and harmful guidelines for school children in the US. We speak on the UK’s rather ridiculous quarantine measures for everyone flying into the UK; and Europe’s threatening response.

We address the controversy regarding wearing masks; further sickening recommendations of the Center for Disease regarding the separation of new-born babies from their mothers; and the UN’s support and advancement of abortions in the midst of the Corona crisis.

We point out further developments following the pronouncement of President Trump that Church services are “essential”; Dr. Fauci’s rather strange “change of mind”; and Alan Dershowitz’s rather preposterous attempts to claim that quarantining healthy persons is justified or even demanded in the Bible.

We publish an interesting article about public prayers by women; and we conclude with the allegation that Pope Francis’ promotes the worship of “Mother Earth.”

Regarding the Pope’s rather strange comments, please view our StandingWatch program, “Pope Francis Attacks True Chrisitanity.” 

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

Pompeo Accuses Iran

Times of Israel wrote on May 22:

“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday accused the Iranian leadership of ‘echoing Hitler’s call for genocide’ after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for ‘eliminating the Zionist regime’… Khamenei also posted on his website an anti-Israel poster that invoked the term ‘final solution’ which is usually associated with Nazi Germany’s efforts to eliminate all Jews.

“The poster showed people celebrating at the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem after apparently capturing it from Israel as a Palestinian flag is raised over the Al-Aqsa Mosque. ‘Palestine Will Be Free. The final solution: Resistance until referendum,’ the text on the poster says…

“The European Union on Thursday evening condemned the Iranian leader’s threats against Israel with the bloc’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell issuing a consensus statement on behalf of all 27 members of the EU. ‘Such statements are totally unacceptable and represent a deep source of concern. They are also incompatible with the objective of a stable and peaceful Middle East region pursued by the EU,’ the statement read. ‘The European Union reiterates its fundamental commitment to the security of Israel.’

“Israel’s Ambassador to Germany Jeremy Issacharoff… said Friday that the union’s statement did not go far enough. Khamenei ‘did not just bring into question Israel’s legitimacy, he wrote explicitly about ‘eliminating the Zionist regime which goes from denying the Holocaust to promoting one,’ the Israeli diplomat wrote on his Twitter account. ‘The gravity of his remarks is not reflected in the EU reaction.’”

 The EU’s alleged support of Israel is questionable at best.

Israel Will Annex

The Times of Israel wrote on May 25:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said he has set a July date for when Israel will extend its sovereignty to areas of the West Bank, and… he has no intention of changing it…

“Netanyahu said there has never been a better time in the country’s history to apply sovereignty, which is tantamount to annexation, to these areas…

“The move would be coordinated with the US, in accordance with the Middle East plan US President Donald Trump unveiled in January, which endorsed extending Israeli sovereignty over roughly 30 percent of the West Bank. However, the entire peace plan has been rejected by the Palestinians, who seek the West Bank as territory for a future Palestinian state.”

Israel’s planned annexation, which has also been condemned by the EU, will set in motion turbulent developments in the Middle East.

Into the Abyss

Marketwatch wrote on May 23:

“Charles Hugh Smith… the man behind the OfTwoMinds.com, which was recognized by CNBC as one of the best alternative financial blogs on the internet, has been calling for the implosion of the U.S. empire for years now, and the coronavirus pandemic has him believing that time has finally come…

“The slippery slope to collapse — decadence — is characterized by greed, corruption, irreconcilable internal political rifts, moral decay, frivolity, materialism,’ Smith writes… The pandemic is merely ‘the final kick into the abyss,’ he said, after the global financial crisis laid bare the fragile nature of an economy kept alive with artificial stimulus. ‘Elites have done nothing but kick the can down the road for over a decade,’ he wrote. ‘Nothing that’s broken has been fixed; all that’s been done is trillions in currency has been borrowed or printed to paper over the dissolution, decay and decline.’

“Smith warned of a ‘terminal crisis’ that begins in 2021, regardless of any progress made to bring an end to the pandemic and kickstart the ravaged global economy. ‘A COVID-19 vaccine, or lack thereof, will have zero effect in terms of reversing these cycles,’ he said. ‘Call it fate, call it karma, call it what you will, but the cycles have aligned and nothing can stop the unraveling of all that was foolishly presumed to be permanent.’”

America is indeed beyond recovery… even when it comes to the economy. Also note the next article.

Rental Car Giant Hertz Files For Bankruptcy Protection

npr wrote on May 23:

“Car rental company Hertz filed for bankruptcy protection Friday, citing an ‘abrupt decline in revenue’ during the coronavirus pandemic… Retailers J.C. Penney, J. Crew and Neiman Marcus all filed for bankruptcy protection this month. Home-decor chain Pier 1 Imports announced it would be closing for good…

“After many states began to declare stay at home orders in March, car rentals dried up, and Hertz reduced spending, implemented furloughs and laid off 20,000 employees. In April the company, which includes car-rental brands Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly, missed a payment on its debt, but reached a short-term deal with its creditors. The company was unable to secure a long-term agreement.”

Measures of German State of Saxony Remind of Nazi Germany

Deutsche Wirtschaftsnachrichten reported on May 21 that beginning on May 25, the German state of Saxony is threatening parents of students who fail to bring with them daily a signed letter from the parents that their children are healthy. The letter will also have to state whether someone else in their household is sick.

If the parents forget to give that letter to their children, the school will inform the parents to immediately collect the children. In case of a repeat, the state may come in to take the children away from their parents.

Wochenblick added on May 20 that this reminds one of methods in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Germany’s Antisemitism—from the Kaiser to Hitler and Beyond

The Algemeiner published on May 27 the following opinion piece by Historian Harold Brackman:

“Among the ideological causes of World War I were hubris and hatred by Germans that reinforced Kaiser Wilhelm’s — and ultimately Adolf Hitler’s — antisemitism. In broad terms, many Germans became intoxicated with the ‘völkisch’ conception of themselves as a conquering race…

“Houston Stewart Chamberlain [was] a prolific self-taught pseudo-scholar who had Kaiser Wilhelm I’s ear before and during World War I — and lived long enough to influence Hitler… [His book] The Foundations of the Nineteenth Century (1899)… gave Chamberlain a following as far as the United States, whose doom he prophesied.

“The book’s… theme was that Germans had been a master race ever since they vanquished the Roman Empire… In 1901, after Kaiser Wilhelm read Chamberlain’s Foundations, they became fast friends and regular correspondents… German defeat and the kaiser’s abdication in 1918 did not end Chamberlain’s influence. Sensing that a man of destiny was emerging… he wrote a fawning letter in 1923 thanking Hitler for ‘transform[ing] the state of my soul.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 27:

“Authorities… recorded 2,032 crimes motivated by anti-Semitism – a rise of 13% over 2018, and the highest since those statistics were collected. Some 93.4% of those crimes were carried out by far-right perpetrators.”

German anti-Semitism is by no means a thing of the past. The same goes for anti- Semitism throughout Europe and the entire world.

Guidelines for School Children in the USA

In an article published by the Ron Paul Institute, Ron Paul wrote on May 25:

“Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)… unveiled ‘guidelines’ for schools to follow when they reopen. Among the CDC’s guidelines are that schools put tape on the hallways, directing children which direction to walk and how much distance to keep between themselves and their classmates. The CDC also recommends children do not share electronic devices or learning aids. The guidelines even say children should wear masks at school.

“The CDC’s guidelines instruct schools to close playgrounds and cafeterias, and to cancel all field trips and assemblies. Instead, students are to spend all day at their desks, not even leaving classrooms for lunch or recess.

“The CDC’s guidelines may not have the force of law, but it is likely most government schools will adopt them in order to ensure continued access to federal funding… by forbidding children from going outside to play, exercise, and get sunshine, the guidelines actually endanger children’s health. The guidelines also harm children by limiting their ability to interact with their fellow students and develop social skills.”

These guidelines are indeed horrible and, if implemented, would be harmful to our children.

Separating New-Born Babies from their Mothers

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 26:

“The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a statement recently that recommends separating newborn babies from their mothers in an effort to stem the spread of Covid-19. The separation is intended for mothers who tested positive for coronavirus. However, the CDC also recommends separating them from mothers who are suspected to have coronavirus. In other words, the CDC is looking to separate newborn babies from their mothers even if they didn’t test positive for Covid-19.”

This is just so SICK and so INSANE!

A National Disgrace

ABC News reported on May 22:

“People arriving in the U.K. next month will have to quarantine themselves for 14 days and could face an unlimited fine if they fail to comply… the rules will take effect June 8 and will apply to arrivals from all countries except Ireland… Britons returning from overseas will also have to stay home and avoid mixing with others for 14 days under the measures, which will be reviewed every three weeks…

“Arriving passengers will have to provide contact details and will be checked on regularly during the two weeks… They will also be ‘encouraged’ to download a contact-tracing app that authorities are developing — if the glitch-filled app is ever put into use…

“There has been confusion about the U.K. policy, after the government initially said it would not apply to people arriving from France… Britain later said France would not be exempt. Airlines have warned that the British move could hobble their efforts to rebuild a business devastated by pandemic-related travel restrictions. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines U.K., said a blanket quarantine was ‘just about the worst thing government could do if their aim is to restart the economy.’…”

The Mirror added on May 22:

“The move will anger some sectors, with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary earlier this week branding the plan ‘idiotic’ and ‘unimplementable’, while trade body Airlines UK has previously said a quarantine ‘would effectively kill’ international travel to and from Britain…”

Europe Might Retaliate Against Britain

Express wrote on May 20:

“European countries have said they will open their borders to British tourists, but only if the UK does not impose the 14-day travel rules…

“Italian foreign minister Luigi Di Maio also said… ‘From mid-June to September it will be possible to travel in Italy without any problems… We will [open the borders] and we expect reciprocity.’…”

This might very well lead to further alienation between the UK and the European power bloc.

No Masks Allowed

The Guardian wrote on May 22:

“Shops around the US make headlines for denying entry to those wearing masks as protesters argue against preventative measures… On Thursday…, a Kentucky convenience store that put up a sign reading: ‘NO Face Masks allowed in store. Lower your mask or go somewhere else…’

“Another sign was posted by a Californian construction store earlier this month encouraging hugs but not masks. In Illinois, a gas station employee who put up a similar sign has since defended herself, arguing that mask-wearing made it hard to differentiate between adults and children when selling booze and cigarettes.”

Deutsche Welle added on May 26 that the east German state of Thüringen [Thuringia] announced “that they might be the first to lift the restrictions [including to wear face masks] altogether on June 6, but later seemed to go back on those comments. Thuringia said it reserves the right to pass measures that differ than the ones recommended by the national government in the public space… Germany is set to extend its coronavirus distancing measures until June 29… The measures allow up to 10 people or members of two households to meet in public.”

UN Advances Abortion in the Midst of Corona Crisis

Breaking Israel News reported on May 24, 2020:

“Last week, John Barsa, the acting administrator for the US agency for international development (USAid), sent a letter to the UN secretary-general António Guterres, criticizing the UN’s decision to include abortion as an ‘essential service’ during the pandemic.

“‘… the UN should not use this crisis as an opportunity to advance access to abortion as an “essential service”… by cynically placing the provision of “sexual and reproductive health services” on the same level of importance as food-insecurity, essential health care, malnutrition, shelter, and sanitation. Most egregious is that [the UN] calls for the widespread distribution of abortion-inducing drugs and abortion supplies, and for the promotion of abortion in local country settings.’”

This is despicable. While measures are allegedly implemented to save lives, at the same time measures are promoted to take lives. The rationale of the UN might be that cells of many aborted fetuses are needed to produce vaccines.

California Opens Up to Essential Church Services… Really?

The Los Angeles Times wrote in a daily newsletter on May 26:

“Amid growing political pressure on Gov. Gavin Newsom to address church reopenings… attendance at services will be capped at 25% of total capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower. The attendance limits will be in place for 21 days and then reassessed. The reopening of houses of worship will be subject to approval by county departments of public health… the guidelines… strongly encourage churches, mosques, temples and other houses of worship to continue to facilitate remote services for those who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19…

“On Friday night, the 9^th Circuit Court of appeals [one of the most liberal courts if not the most liberal court of appeals in the country] upheld Newsom’s prior ban on in-person church services in a split ruling… hours after [Trump declared church services as being essential.]

“The rethinking of the state moratorium also came just ahead of Pentecost Sunday, which falls on May 31 this year. More than 1,200 pastors had vowed to hold in-person services on the holy day, in defiance of what had been the state guidelines… houses of worship will be discouraged from sharing items used during services, such as prayer books, cushions and prayer rugs… congregants must be screened for fever or other symptoms of illness and are asked to use hand sanitizer and wear face coverings. The passing of offering plates will also be discontinued…

“[The guidelines also said that] ‘activities such as singing and group recitation negate the risk-reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing’… As individuals project their voices to join together in song, they could also be dispersing viral particles into the room…”

Has one ever heard such nonsense? The same nonsense prevails in Germany. See the next article.

No Singing in Germany

The Daily Mail wrote on May 27:

“German authorities are warning against singing and several states have banned it from church services over fears it spreads the coronavirus… In recommendations for the resumption of church services, the federal government stated that singing should be avoided ‘because of the increased production of potentially infectious droplets, which can be spread over greater distances’…

“[However, the] Bundeswehr University in Munich published a study in early May showing that singing only disturbs air flow up to half a metre (1.6ft) in front of the person. Freiburg University’s Institute for Performing Arts Medicine has also published guidelines for singing with similar results…

“Germany’s Catholic Church has endorsed ‘quiet singing’ in services, as well as restricting numbers. By contrast, the Protestant Church continues to advise a complete ban.”

It is sickening to see how the two big Churches in Germany, perhaps due to unsubstantiated fear or politics, are advocating and supporting questionable recommendations by the German government.

How Coronavirus Statistics Are Exaggerated

Breitbart wrote on May 27:

“… according to a report from [Italy’s] national health authority (ISS)… only 4.1 percent of fatalities testing positive for Wuhan coronavirus happened in the absence of serious comorbidities… 15 percent of fatalities occurred with the presence of just one other serious pathology, while 21.4 percent died with two other pathologies, and 59.6 percent with three or more pathologies…

“One of the most astonishing findings of the report was that only 1.1 percent of all coronavirus deaths in the country happened to people below the age of 50, while more than 57 percent were over 80…

“This week Spain had to revise down its official death count for the coronavirus by nearly 2,000 after discovering a series of reporting errors and duplications… representing a seven percent drop in the total deaths reported.”

Is this mere “coincidence,” negligence and incompetence, or is more behind these terribly exaggerated figures?

Fauci’s Change of Mind?

The Street wrote on May 22:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, warned Friday that stay-at-home orders that are intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus could end up causing ‘irreparable damage’ if they are imposed for too long…

“Earlier this month, Fauci warned senators that areas that disregard government guidelines in reopening their economies risk ‘triggering an outbreak you may not be able to control.’”

Fauci had demanded stay-at-home orders in the first place and he had also demanded that they remain in force and effect. His sudden “change of heart” really sounds extremely hypocritical, and one has to wonder what is behind this sudden reversal.

Defiance

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 26:

“From the Lake of the Ozarks to the Texas Gulf Coast, Americans spent Memorial Day weekend in defiance of the forced ‘lockdown’ orders of the politicians. Dr. Birx was furious over people refusing to wear masks at the beach. Other local tyrants screamed and threatened. The people are ignoring them. Deliverance from this coronavirus-induced government tyranny is not coming about because politicians have seen the error of their ways. It is coming about because the people are finally waking up.”

The Week wrote on May 27:

“If the unprecedented global race for the first effective human coronavirus vaccine is successful, only 49 percent of Americans say they would get the vaccine… 31 percent said they were not sure while 20 percent said they would not get the vaccine. About 70 percent of those currently refusing the future vaccine cited safety concerns…”

How long can governments insist on lockdowns and social distancing regulations and even possibly mandatory vaccinations until “civil disobedience” becomes overwhelming and perhaps even violent?

Alan Dershowitz’s Wrong Concepts of the Bible

The Gatestone Institute published the following article on May 22 by Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard Law Alan Dershowitz:

“Most of the emails and phone calls that I have gotten since I stated that the Constitution permits safe mandatory vaccination against highly contagious and lethal diseases have been from anti-vaxxers who claim the authority of the Bible… The Bible speaks volumes about the need to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Large sections of the Bible deal with diagnosing contagious diseases such as leprosy and quarantining carriers outside the city walls until they were no longer contagious…

“Supporters of slavery cited the Bible, as did anti-Semites and anti-gay bigots. And now anti-vaxxers are distorting and weaponizing the Good Book, religion and God against science. This has happened before, with evolution, the age of the earth, abortion and assisted suicide. But this time the anti-vaxxers who cite the Bible have no plausible argument as anyone can see by turning to Leviticus and other portions of both the Jewish Bible and the Christian New Testament.

“These are God’s words, as recorded in Leviticus, Chapters 13 and 14. ‘The priest shall isolate’ the contagious person for seven days and then an additional seven days if the contagion persists. ‘And he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.’ Nor was this quarantine voluntary. The priest could compel it. In light of the Bible’s great concern for preventing the spread of contagious diseases – innumerable rules and regulations are devoted to it — can there be any doubt that if a safe and effective vaccine had been developed, it, too, would have been mandated along with a compelled quarantine?…”

This article was obviously written in light of the coronavirus and the present house-arrests and self-isolations and quarantines of healthy persons. In that, Alan Dershowitz is dead wrong. He twists and perverts the Bible by insinuating that God would ever demand quarantining a healthy person.

In his convoluted scriptural reasoning, Dershowitz seems to even admit that only unhealthy persons suffering from a contagious disease should be quarantined, but then seems to suggest that everyone is presumed unhealthy and could be quarantined, unless a “safe” vaccine is developed against the coronavirus. Also, is Dershowitz honestly suggesting that the Bible does NOT condemn homosexuality, abortion, assisted suicide or evolution? Dershowitz is not a credible authority on the right understanding of the Bible.

Locusts Plague Widens

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 27:

“On Tuesday, Indian authorities sent out drones and tractors to track desert locusts and spray them with insecticides, in one of the worst locust swarms seen by the country in nearly 30 years… India is facing its worst food shortages since 1993… Thousands of migrant workers have died from hunger after India suddenly imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, leaving workers penniless. An agrarian crisis because of a locust swarm will further hamper relief efforts of the government.

“… the locust infestation will increase next month, when locusts breeding in East Africa reach India. India isn’t the only country attacked by a huge swarm of locusts this year. Pakistan, countries in East Africa, and Yemen have also faced the desert pests and their destruction.”

This is INSANE: In fighting “coronavirus” via lockdown, the government of India has caused the death of thousands of migrants!

Women Not to Give Public Prayers

Fort Worth Star Telegram wrote on May 21:

“The mayor of a Dallas suburb does not want women leading public prayers at city council meetings, according to an email that circulated online. Eric Hogue, the mayor of Wylie and a preacher at one of the town’s churches, confirmed the contents of the email to multiple TV stations. He quoted Corinthians and Timothy scriptures from the Bible…

“‘Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law,’ 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 states. ‘And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.’ ‘Let the women learn in silence with all subjection,’ 1 Timothy 2:11-12 states. ‘But I suffer not a woman to teach, not to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.’

“The mayor went on to tell the recipient of the email he understands not everyone will agree with him, but he said ‘I can’t go against my conscience… I believe, and this is me, when it comes to (picking) somebody to lead the invocation at a city council meeting, because of those two sets of verses, I’m going to choose a male.’

“Hogue added to KXAS, “In a religious setting, the bible teaches that she’s not to say a public prayer or to lead the singing or to deliver the sermon.’ He has been mayor of Wylie for the past 12 years and has been a pastor at Cottonwood Church of Christ since 2010, WFAA reported.”

The Bible does indeed prohibit women from preaching in public or from a church pulpit, writing religious articles with Scriptural quotations or giving public prayers.

Catholic Mother Earth Worshippers?

Grandin Media wrote on May 21:

“In angry corners of the Internet, there’s no shortage of voices warning that Pope Francis is trying to change the Gospel, or change Catholic doctrine. Such a change simply can’t be found in the text of Laudato Si’, [Development and Peace deputy director Luke] Stocking said. ‘Those who fear the change think we’re becoming Mother Earth worshippers, or that we are becoming essentially pagan…’

“When Laudato Si’ was published in 2015, many thought the kind of economic change the Pope was proposing would be simply impossible. The global economic system was too big to turn around. But our national and international response to COVID-19 shows that we can put the brakes on the economy and change direction on a dime, said University of St. Michael’s emeritus professor Dennis Patrick O’Hara….

“Catholics who experience the joy of the Incarnation at Christmas, who mourn on Good Friday, who celebrate every Sunday, cannot fail to understand Pope Francis and Laudato Si’, said Sr. Margot Ritchie…

‘What’s more Christian than the Incarnation?’ she asked. ‘What other spiritual tradition holds so closely to the fact that God takes flesh, takes body, becomes human, becomes material?…’”

It is interesting that in refuting the idea that Pope Francis is embracing the worship of Mother Earth, a relationship is supposed to be drawn with all kinds of other pagan practices, such as “the joy of the Incarnation at Christmas,” the mourning of Catholics on Good Friday and their celebrations on every Sunday.

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.

It is a good question and one that we need to take very seriously. As we approach the Passover each year, we go through a period of introspection and any grudges that we hold must be eliminated. But our self-examination must continue, and it is especially a good occasion now as we are approaching the Day of Pentecost this weekend.

What is a grudge? We instinctively know what it is but, put simply, it is a feeling of resentment or ill-will. It is part and parcel of the way that the world behaves and reacts— it seems that if you don’t hold grudges or feel resentment towards others that you are not normal—but the way that the world views things is not our yardstick. It is what God says on this matter that really counts.

Leviticus 19:18 tells us:

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.”

We see in this passage that taking vengeance and bearing a grudge are related, and they are contrary to loving our neighbor. Bearing a grudge means to guard and to cherish it. The Pulpit Commentary states that Leviticus 19:18 prohibits malice and revenge. The Matthew Poole Commentary adds that it prohibits carrying malice in our heart.

A grudge is a heavy thing to carry. But, it may be that a lot of heavy things are being carried today by some of the people of God. For some, that might mean harboring a grudge over many years.  Some people have very long memories and can find it very difficult to forgive (even though they may say, I have forgiven that person and do not hold a grudge, but this might be self-deception).

We read in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.”

Of course, it can be difficult to ignore the vicious, the mischief-makers, the provocateurs and those who may hold a grudge, but it is a requirement as part of our calling. However, this is a strategy that pays handsome dividends. If people hold grudges against us, let us pray for them that they are willing to change. Jesus Christ said: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). There is no better teacher than the Savior, and we should do well to heed His words.

We were called to the narrow way (see Matthew 7:13-14), which means that we are to be different from the world where grudges are a part of the way of man. Bearing a grudge often doesn’t take into account anything other than personal revenge of one sort or another and wanting to get even.  However, God says that we should not avenge ourselves, but give place to God’s wrath and His vengeance who will take care of matters in His due time (Romans 12:19).

In the book of Esther is the story of Haman and Mordecai. Haman was furious at the refusal of Mordecai to bow down to him and his anger caused him to plan the destruction not only of Mordecai but of all the Jews throughout the kingdom. The vengeance of Haman was not satisfied by the destruction of one person; he sought to destroy the entire Jewish nation. You might say that he had a grudge—a real grudge. He wanted to kill Mordecai. But this grudge led to his death. In Esther 7:9-10 we read: “Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, ‘Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.’ Then the king said, ‘Hang him on it!’ So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.” We can see that Haman’s grudge was an extremely costly one.

In Matthew 6:12, Jesus said in the model prayer that we were to pray: “And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.” Here we have the requirements of a true Christian. The request for forgiveness of sin is to be made by the true Christian. For continued spiritual growth we must acknowledge our sins in particular. Notice that we seek forgiveness as we forgive. We are to seek forgiveness in the same manner as we forgive others. God forgives us when we repent, and so we must forgive others when they are sorry for what they have done to us. But even without the manifestation of their repentance towards us, we must always have a willing attitude to forgive, and holding a grudge will prevent us from forgiving others when they repent. When we forgive others, there cannot be any sign whatsoever of a grudge. The two are incompatible.

We will be celebrating the Day of Pentecost on 31st May this year, and it is interesting to realise that just 50 days (counted inclusively) after the wave-sheaf offering on Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread is in fact the Day of Pentecost. In John 16:7-14, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, would be sent to them, as indeed it was on the Day of Pentecost as we read in Acts 2:1-4. Had they not been keeping this annual Holy Day, on the correct day, they would not have received the Holy Spirit at that time. The Holy Spirit enables us to remove grudges and ill feelings through the use of this power from God which was, for the first recorded time, given to mankind after repentance and baptism (see Acts 2:38).

There is a passage of Scripture about not grieving the Holy Spirit and, again, it gives us clear guidance on how we should behave: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by [which] you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4: 30-32).

Grudges—a feeling of resentment or ill will and the desire to avenge ourselves—can lead, in extremes, to death. If it doesn’t go to that extreme, there can still be serious consequences.

And, interestingly, we can “grudge” in giving, and that admonition is especially relevant now, in preparation for the Day of Pentecost, as, following God’s instruction, we will be taking up an offering on God’s annual Holy Day, as we do on all seven annual Holy Days. The apostle Paul writes: “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). There is to be a willing heart and a sincere desire on the part of the one giving in order to participate. Paul is not so much interested in their money, nor is God, for that matter. But there are those who can give—but do so grudgingly—in a miserly fashion.  It is another area where we have to exercise great care.

So how should true Christians behave? The Bible shows us the way, of course! In Matthew 5:21-24, we are told how we should behave: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Jesus gave clear instructions when He said: “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26).

The request for forgiveness, besides needing faith as with other petitions, requires a willingness to forgive others. We must never forget that if we hold grudges against others and have therefore not forgiven them, God will not forgive us our sins.

This means that a true Christian is willing to pardon the offending party instead of wanting to avenge him or herself.  Let us make sure that holding or bearing grudges are not part of our Christian life—if it is, then we have a serious spiritual problem. Is it possible to hold a grudge against someone and still make it into God’s Kingdom? If we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, and if we subsequently lose it again because of a conscientious willful and hateful attitude to hold grudges, then we will not make it into the Kingdom of God. As with any sin which we maliciously refuse to repent of, the same applies to our irrevocable decision of not wanting to forgive another person upon his or her repentance, but of bearing grudges against him or her instead. If we hold grudges against anyone and refuse to forgive them, then we will not be forgiven for our sins and that will clearly mean that we won’t be in God’s Kingdom.

It is just that serious!

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

compiled by Dave Harris

A new Member Letter (May, 2020) is now posted and has been mailed to our subscribers. Elder Eric Rank writes about the trials and tests we face, and the opportunity for us to really examine the underlying motivations of our behavior.

“Welche Früchte will Gott in Ihnen sehen?” is the title of the German sermon for this Sabbath, presented by Pastor Michael Link. Title in English: “What fruits does God want to see in you?”

“Wird Christus Glauben finden auf Erden?” is the title for the German sermon for Pentecost, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Title in English: “Will Christ Find Faith on Earth?”

“In Schwachheit stark sein,” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by elder Thilo Hanstein. Title in English: “To Be Strong in Weakness.”

“Walk a Mile,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by elder Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

When we start to talk about people behind their back, we cause division and strife. The Bible tells us instead to have mercy and empathy for others. We should work to help instead of accuse. God is the Judge and He alone reserves the right to pass judgement on people. How can we make sure that we are not doing those things that hurt others, but rather build them up?

“Are You Ready for the Day of the Lord?”, the sermon presented last Sabbath by Evangelist Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible speaks of the terrible Day of the Lord and admonishes us to be prepared and not to be caught off-guard. Especially the book of Joel contains many warnings and shows us what will happen during that future time which is not far from us.

On May 23, 2020, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Walk A Mile,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Are You Ready for the Day of the Lord?”

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.

As we will celebrate the festival of Pentecost at the end of this month, it would be a good idea to reflect on just what this festival represents where the church is concerned and also our individual lives.

Historically, this Festival was the beginning of the establishment of God’s true church in 31 A.D., when the Holy Spirit was given for the first time in a general manner to those assembled in Jerusalem for the festival. In Old Testament times, the prophets and some faithful servants had been given the Holy Spirit to carry out God’s plan and purpose in their time, but it was not generally available for entire groups of people until the Feast of Pentecost in 31 A.D. (Acts 2:1-4).

For the approximately one hundred and twenty disciples there at the time, they had witnessed Christ’s miracles, signs and wonders and His death, and many had also been witnesses of His resurrection. They had been or were now committed to being faithful and to what Christ had taught in His messages for the previous three and a-half years.

The others were moved by Peter’s inspired sermon after the Holy Spirit had been bestowed on the 120 disciples, and they wanted to know what was required of them to receive this gift. In Act 2:37, we read:  “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’”

Peter gave them the answer in verses 38-39: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”

Notice the opportunity to even qualify for this precious gift comes from God who calls us and grants us repentance and a heart willing to accept Christ as our Savior.

The common denominator in the human family is the blood. That is the thread that all races share and one can die physically from loss of blood. The common thread for true Christians is God’s Holy Spirit which emanates from God and sets us apart as His children. It gives us the potential to enter the God Family as God beings at the return of His Son Jesus Christ, if we faithfully endure to the end.

One of the key components to this goal is obedience, since God gives His Spirit only to those who obey Him. Conversely, He withholds it from those who willingly disobey Him. In Act 5:32, Peter said:  “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit [which] God has given to those who obey Him.”

As one can get sick for not taking care of himself physically, even to the point of death, so one can quench the precious gift of the Holy Spirit if one neglects the tools given him to maintain the Spirit, and even lose it to the point of committing the unpardonable sin and dying the eternal death.

We have to appreciate this very precious gift from God and stay true to the course by remaining spiritually healthy, as it were. Pentecost was the starting point for the beginning of God’s Church. Baptism and the receipt of the Holy Spirit is the starting point for our walk with God. At the end of this walk, we want to ensure we are in good shape spiritually for the challenges we will face as children of God in the Millennium as kings and priests.

When the people, after listening to Peter, cried out, “What shall we do,” they were told by Peter what was required of them. We need to make sure we are doing the things required of us to fulfill our future role of ruling with Christ in the Millennium and then for all eternity.

by Norbert Link

We begin with numerous explosive articles regarding the search for and the potential development of a vaccine against the coronavirus and some extremely frightening and disturbing scenarios IF such a vaccine should be created; and we publish articles with controversial allegations regarding Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates which are being blocked outright and dismissed very quickly by the mainstream media.  

 We point out ongoing demonstrations in Germany against governmental restrictions which worry Angela Merkel and question her and her party’s political survival; report on attempts in Germany and elsewhere to silence criticism and any dissenting voices; address EU’s proposed travel recommendations which, if adopted, would lead to inflation; and speak on President Trump’s serious warnings towards the WHO.

We continue with increasing division within the USA; a warning to California by the Justice Department and a controversial decision by the Oregon Supreme Court; Jordan’s, the Palestinians’ and Europe’s collision course with Israel and the USA; legal trouble for Benjamin Netanyahu; Europe’s ongoing efforts to build their own powerful self-sufficient army; Europe’s unwillingness to give any concessions to the UK over Brexit; and we point out that US Ambassador in Germany, Richard Grenell, accuses Germany of undermining NATO.

We conclude with Pope Francis’ remarkably wrong understanding of true Christianity. In that regard, please view our powerful advertisement video for our new booklet, “The Ten Commandments.” Please also view our new StandingWatch program on the topic, titled, “Pope Francis Attacks True Christianity!”  

Vaccine a Long Way off, if Ever

The Associated Press wrote on May 17:

“In separate, stark warnings, two major European leaders bluntly told their citizens that the world needs to adapt to living with the coronavirus and cannot wait to be saved by the development of a vaccine…

“Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte [said] that Italy could not ‘afford’ to wait [with lifting governmental restrictions] until a vaccine was developed. Health experts say the world could be months, if not years, away from having a vaccine available to everyone despite the scientific gold rush now on to create one.

“Britain’s Johnson… speculated Sunday that a vaccine may not be developed at all, despite the huge global effort to produce one.”

This conflicts with and contradicts President Trump’s ambitious and controversial plans. Note the next article.

US Military to Enforce Vaccinations?

Beforeitsnews wrote on May 14:

“The endgame of the global Coronavirus pandemic is beginning to come into view, and in addition to a quantum leap forward in mass surveillance and tracking and tracing individuals, it will also include a rushed, mass vaccine, and as President Trump just told America, will be administered in the U.S. by the military… President Trump echoed recent statements made by Bill Gates, who is telling the world we have to vaccinate ‘7 billion healthy people’ in order to ‘return to normal.’

“[Trump said this:] ‘I think we’re going to have a vaccine by the end of the year… we’re mobilizing our military, and other forces… so at the end of the year we’re going to be able to give it to a lot of people very, very rapidly… We’re of the assumption that by the end of the year we’re going to have a vaccine, and then we have to be able to give it, to use it on most of our population. Now, we’ll focus on elderly, we’re going to focus on nursing homes and, you know, senior citizen centers… that is a very vulnerable group…’

“Trump’s comments come after Chicago Health Commissioner, Allison Arwady, made similar public statements, telling area residents the city was already investing in and planning a mass vaccination campaign: ‘…and then finally we’ll be moving towards this mass vaccination campaign, continuing to follow, and I want you to know, the CDPH is already deep in the planning stages around vaccination. We’ve already bought the syringes. We already know where it’s going to happen. We’re thinking about what that’s going to be. It’s all part of this plan.’

“This news comes at a time that mainstream media is reporting that vaccines may not ever work for Coronavirus, that the virus has already mutated, that a vaccine may not even be possible, and that we may need multiple vaccines… Either way, a rushed through product injected into hundreds of millions, or billions, of people without any long-term testing whatsoever is insanely dangerous. And in this case, Bill Gates is already warning us that a Covid-19 vaccine will use new RNA vaccine technology, which actually permanently alters the genes of anyone who takes it. This represents an even bigger human experiment…

“It remains to be seen what restrictions or punitive measures will be taken against Americans who refuse the vaccine.”

All of this is really a deeply frightening prospect. And the next three articles make it even more disturbing.

US Governmental Right to Forcibly Vaccinate?

WorldNetDaily reported on May 18:

“Harvard Law School emeritus professor Alan Dershowitz claimed in an interview that the government has a constitutional right under the 10th Amendment to forcibly vaccinate a citizen to curb the spread of a contagious disease… ‘And if you refuse to be vaccinated, the state has the power to literally take you to a doctor’s office and plunge a needle into your arm.’…

“Dershowitz clarified that if a person is threatened with a deadly disease that is not contagious, he can refuse treatment. ‘But you have no right to refuse to be vaccinated against a contagious disease,’ he said…

“The Supreme Court has recognized each state’s ‘police power’… which gives the state authority to enact health laws, including quarantine and vaccination requirements, to protect public health. The argument against forcible vaccination is based on the 14th Amendment’s provision that no state ‘shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.’

“But Dershowitz points to the Supreme Court’s Jacobson v. Massachusetts decision in 1905, which concluded a state may require vaccination if the board of health deems it necessary for public health or safety…”

Newsmax added on May 19 that, according to Dershowitz, “the government can provide an alternative to those who do not want to be vaccinated: Live in your home and ‘never, ever leave your home’ or ‘live in a bubble.’ But if you want to interact with other people, you can’t [refuse to be vaccinated].”

Centipede Nation wrote on May 17, 2020:

“Alan Dershowitz… has stated that he hopes the government mandates the latest vaccine and that he’ll be the first in line to receive it. He also stated that he’ll want to be in front of the Supreme Court to argue for its legitimacy. On the other end, Dershowitz also seems to be a little confused as he states that he and his family would get vaccinated only if it’s safe. The contradiction seems to fly right over his head as this is the exact point vaccine-skeptics also share. For some reason, he thinks these people are conspiracy theorists and should be forced to stay in their homes if they refuse the vaccine.

“He… went on to state that… if the majority of the population agree and support public health measures that include mandatory vaccinations, then you have to be vaccinated…

“The Supreme Court has long recognized that ‘involuntary confinement of an individual for any reason, is a deprivation of liberty which the State cannot accomplish without due process of law,’ and some justices have called freedom from such confinement fundamental in nature. While it has not decided a case that involved isolation or quarantine for disease, it has held that civil commitment for mental illness is unconstitutional unless a judge determines the person is dangerous by reason of a mental illness…”

By using twisted “legal” logic, one might argue in the way that Dershowitz does, we surely hope that Dershowitz is wrong with his analysis, because forcible vaccinations against the will of healthy persons are the hallmark of a police state and of totalitarian dictatorship.

In addition, as Focus reported on May 19, the Chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, supported mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus. “I was for mandatory vaccinations against measles, and I am for mandatory vaccinations“ against the coronavirus, he said.

“The German Government emphasized again on Monday that there will be no mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus, according to the Deputy Government Spokesperson Ulrike Demmer.

“Montgomery demanded that the German Government must see to it with legal injunctions that residents of old people‘s and nursing homes and personnel in clinics must be vaccinated. He said: ‘There will be people who do not want to be vaccinated. If they become infected, then they are a danger for those who cannot be vaccinated because of medical reasons. We must therefore vaccinate as many people as possible.”

Again, it is the doctors and medical scientists who want to rule the world.

Coronavirus Cure without a Vaccine?

 Tweaktown wrote on May 20:

“Chinese researchers are claiming that a newly developed drug can cure the coronavirus COVID-19 without the need of a vaccine. The claims are coming out of a Peking University, a major research university located in Beijing, China. According to the director of the university, Sunney Xie, who spoke to AFP, the drug has currently only been tested on mice but has shown extremely promising results. Xie says that the drug reduces the viral load (the amount of the virus found in a body) ‘by a factor of 2,500’, which is an astronomical amount.

“So how did this happen? The drug uses ‘neutralizing antibodies’… the researchers sourced these antibodies from blood samples of patients who have successfully recovered from the virus… the researchers are… isolating those antibodies that have already fought the disease off once, and then injecting them into the bloodstream of a new host. This process gives the new host’s body a figurative blueprint on how to fight off the live virus if it comes into contact with it. Xie’s team is currently preparing for human trials.”

Dr. Fauci Under Attack

Natural Health wrote on May 16:

“Dr. Judy Mikovits, PhD., has made some jaw-dropping allegations about [Anthony Fauci]… She is the former research director of the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) research organization Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) from 2006 to 2011. Reports also say she was a former colleague of Dr. Fauci who studied other conditions as well, including HIV/AIDS (the subject of her 1991 doctoral thesis) and cancer.

“She alleges that Dr. Fauci… sabotaged her work investigating a potential cause of cancer, a rodent virus known as xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV)…

“A 2009 paper she co-authored and published in the peer-reviewed journal Science – which explored the link between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and XMRV – was later fully retracted. Interestingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on their website that XMRV has been identified in patients with prostate cancer as early as 2006. The CDC also notes that XMRV is presumed to be able to be ‘transmitted through blood transfusion’ and that ‘the safety of blood could be a concern if XMRV … is confirmed to cause human illness and disease.’ Mikovits was fired from WPI after her paper was retracted. [Of course, finding a cure for a sickness would not necessitate the development and use of ongoing costly medication or a vaccine.]

“Dr. Mikovits was arrested in November 2011 and charged for allegedly stealing property from WPI, including laboratory notebooks and computer data. She was released five days later and not long after the charges were dropped. Many allege the arrest was nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to silence and intimidate her, since she has been a vocal critic of supposed government corruption related to vaccines.

“Regarding COVID-19, Dr. Mikovits is on record stating that she believes SARS-CoV-2 was manipulated within a laboratory setting. She bases her claims on what she says is evidence for ‘accelerated viral evolution’ that could only have come from human intervention. According to Science, it is true that NIAID had been funding a U.S.-based group working with Wuhan lab, but that funding has since been stopped.

“Dr. Mikovits also claims, along with others, that the COVID-19 pandemic was maliciously designed as a way to advance the agenda Big Pharma and vaccines researchers seeking to gain profit and launch mass immunization campaigns.

“Dr. Mikovits is also the author of a bestselling book Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science, ‘a behind the scenes look at the issues and egos which will determine the future health of humanity.’ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote the foreword for the book, which was co-authored by Kent Heckenlively.

“According to mainstream media critics, virtually all of Mikovits’ statements are ‘untrue or overexagerrated’… So, is she an intrepid truth-seeker or self-serving aggrandizer? Are there any legitimate kernels of truth in the claims that she and others make…?”

Many of Mikovits’ statements and claims are contained in videos about and by her, which were seen by millions of viewers and then blocked and deleted, only to be reposted, blocked and deleted, reposted again… and so on… .

Bill Gates: New Coronavirus Vaccine, if Developed, Could Injure or Kill up to 700,000 People

Natural News reported on May 17:

“In his rush to develop one, two, or even seven different vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), billionaire software tycoon Bill Gates openly admitted that upwards of 700,000 people could become injured or die from these jabs.

“The Microsoft co-founder and prominent eugenicist has been more outspoken in recent days than perhaps ever before about his desire to vaccinate the entire world, in this case as soon as possible for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). And the reality is that many more will die from the vaccine than from the virus itself.

“Speaking during a recent segment on CNBC, Gates admitted that in order to make vaccines ‘work’ for the most vulnerable groups, they have to be super-charged, in a sense. And this super-charging means that some people are going to be injured or killed as a result. ‘We clearly need a vaccine that works in the upper age range because they’re most at risk of that,’ Gates stated about his plans for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination. ‘And doing that so that you amp it up so that it works in older people, and yet you don’t have side effects, if we have one in 10,000 side effects that’s way more, 700,000 people who will suffer from that.’

“During this same interview, Gates admitted… that influenza vaccines are pretty much useless in older people. Though supposedly high-risk seniors are pushed to get their flu shots annually, Gates confessed to the fact that this yearly ritual does nothing to protect them against the flu…

“In his own analysis, Martin Armstrong of Armstrong Economics crunched the data and found that the number of deaths around the world that are being attributed to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pales in comparison to the number of people who will be injured or killed by Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines, based on Gates’ own admission…

“Vaccine experiments like the ones Gates is pushing for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) have been tried before… Back in the ’70s, the United States rolled out a vaccine for ‘swine flu’ that was administered to some 45 million people over the course of 10 weeks. This vaccination effort was halted, however, after it was discovered that no cases of swine flu were even detected outside of the military base where it was said to have originated. Meanwhile, one in 100,000 vaccinated individuals ended up suffering from side effects that included Guillain-Barré syndrome, while another 53 died…”

This is deeply upsetting. Is the mass media purposefully suppressing this kind of information, and if so, why?

Ongoing Demonstrations in Germany against Governmental Restrictions

AFP wrote on May 16:

“Angered by a slew of lockdown measures, purported vaccine plans or alleged state surveillance, thousands took to the streets on Saturday in Germany in a growing wave of demonstrations that has alarmed even Chancellor Angela Merkel…

“The growing demonstrations have sparked comparison to the anti-Muslim Pegida marches at the height of Europe’s refugee crisis in 2015, raising questions over whether the strong support that Merkel is currently enjoying due to her handling of the virus crisis could evaporate… A recent poll commissioned by the Spiegel news magazine found that almost one in four Germans surveyed voiced ‘understanding’ for the demonstrations. The development has shocked the political establishment…

“[Opposition AfD] Party co-chief Alexander Gauland said it was ‘completely correct that people are exercising their fundamental rights and demonstrating against corona measures.’ Any resulting split in society over the demonstrations should not be blamed on the protesters, but on ‘the sweeping vilification of participants as right-wing extremists, nutcases or conspiracy theorists’, he charged.

“… Spiegel… cited the urgent need for Merkel to get a grip on the situation…”

Focus reported on May 19 that a high school (“Gymnasium”) in Germany offers “voluntary” coronavirus tests, but those who are not tested will be identified with a green mark, and other rules will apply to them than those who have been tested. This is SHAMEFUL and really reminds one of the Yellow Badges for Jews in the Third Reich.   

Suppressing Criticism in Germany?

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 15:

“Questioning the intelligence of anyone who criticizes coronavirus protection measures shows we haven’t learned from the polarization of the past and shuts the door on any chance for dialogue… What yesterday was considered a conspiracy theory has now become widely accepted fact… And yet many journalists, analysts and politicians still have a need to put everyone who thinks differently into a clear-cut cubbyhole…

“People have put up with so much over the last few weeks: Following stay-at-home orders and contact bans, trying to understand contradictory experts’ opinions on face masks, doubling time and reproduction rates, somehow managing to work from home and check their children’s schoolwork. Others were forced into a government-sponsored short-time scheme and sometimes into existential distress. And then when these very people want to express their displeasure, concern or skepticism, they are, at best, called perfectly normal citizens who let themselves be manipulated by ‘conspiracy theorists!’

“Has it really come to the point where all critics and demonstrators need to hold up a disclaimer saying that they do not necessarily agree with everything that is said on stage?… Is all criticism forbidden…?

“A spiral of polarization looms ahead, as the website for the weekly newspaper Die Zeit accurately described: ‘A growing protest leads to added criticism and attention, which leads to even more protests.’… There is something of déjà-vu about it: five years ago, the much-vaunted ‘welcome culture’ still prevailed in Germany, and, in many opinion pieces, anyone who voiced reservations about German refugee policy was labeled a far-right radical. But ostracizing any form [of] criticism was a spectacular failure…

“The crazy thing is that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has long since responded to the ‘concerns of the citizens’ by signing a refugee agreement with Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a more consistent deportation policy. But… she’s never come out and said it…

“It seems that little has been learned from the previous spiral of polarization as from previous pandemics. A democracy worthy of the name must be able to withstand controversial debates and protests without creating insurmountable rifts. It is simply not enough to muzzle unwelcome criticism with derogative classifications… The very people who consider themselves the champions of democracy should refrain from using such exclusionary labels…”

This is so true, but many just REFUSE to listen.

Angela Merkel’s New Challenges

Express wrote on May 19:

“ANGELA Merkel is gearing up for one last, desperate battle to make her mark on the EU in the shadow of coronavirus, which poses a threat to the bloc’s very existence, Germany’s ambassador to Brussels, Michael Clauss, has warned in a leaked memo.

“Germany is due to take over the Presidency of the European Council in July for the first time in 13 years – but the pandemic has dramatically changed the landscape, and piled the pressure on Mrs. Merkel, 65, who is scheduled to step down as Chancellor next year. The rotating Presidency – currently held by Croatia – will switch to Germany on July 1, with a total of 17 ministerial meetings planned between July and October involving leaders from across the bloc, as well as the EU-China summit which had been planned for Leipzig in September. For Mrs Merkel, it represents an opportunity at a crucial time, with the UK due to complete the process of Brexit on December 31.

“However, in the classified dispatch to Berlin, leaked to German magazine Der Spiegel, Mr Clauss warned: ‘The first experiences with the new reality show that our presidency will no longer be able to take place in the planned way… From now on, the focus will be on the ability of the European institutions to act, crisis management, exit and reconstruction – possibly maintaining the EU integration itself.’…

“Mrs Merkel, who has been German Chancellor since 2005, is under increasing pressure as the extent of the economic damage wrought by the pandemic becomes apparent. Speaking today about the latest survey conducted by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President Eric Schweitzer predicted a 10 percent contraction in Germany’s economy… When we look around the world, we now feel all the signs of a global economic crisis.’

“Mrs Merkel has also had to contend with persistent rumours about her health after a spate of episodes in which she visibly shook in public, with some attributing it to an underlying medical condition…”

EU’s Travel Recommendations, If Adopted, May Lead to Inflation

Barron’s wrote on May 16:

“The European Commission recently published guidance on ‘how to safely resume travel.’ If its proposals are widely adopted, travel is going to get more complicated… And it might get more expensive too…

“It… recommends ‘measures to limit contact’ between workers and passengers, as well as passenger-to-passenger contact. That includes the use of personal protective equipment, such as masks as well as barriers, reduced tables in common areas, more cleaning, and reconfigured boarding procedures. The commission is also advocating ‘reducing, where feasible, the density of passengers’ as well. That means fewer people on planes and trains.

“Another reality for future travelers might be the use of ‘voluntary’ contact-tracing apps… to alert people who have come in contact with an infected person.

“Less traveler ‘density’ could mean higher prices, with fewer people bearing a larger portion of the costs… Many of the proposed changes sound inflationary…

“… the travel sector will be smaller than it was in the recent past. That realization… has hammered the airline, aerospace, and tourism industries. A lot of pain has been felt by travel investors in 2020. Aerospace supplier stocks… are down about 50% year to date. Stock in Boeing… is down more than 60% so far in 2020…

“Cruise operator shares are down about 75%, hotels stock have fallen… about 40%. All the drops are far worse than the comparable falls of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.”

In their attempts to solve or at least deal with the “coronavirus crisis,” overzealous and many times ignorant governmental officials have been literally destroying large sectors of the business community and the economy.

Many Travelers Still Arrive from China and other Countries

 CBS New York wrote on May 19:

“CBS2 has learned some of the same international flights that have long been blamed for causing coronavirus to explode in our area are still operating… in the last two weeks international flights to Newark Liberty Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport have arrived from China, South Korea, and much of Europe, including the United Kingdom and Italy… ‘What is being done now to screen those travelers? What is the step-by-step process?’… ‘That’s the federal government, that’s Border and Customs control,’ Cuomo responded… ‘There is coordination, but they determine who comes, who doesn’t come, is purely federal, and they determine what procedures and practices are in place…’

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. customs and Border Protection… would only say there is an ‘enhanced entry screening,’ adding the passenger is asked about medical history, current condition, and some are having their temperature taken… Customs said state and local officials are ensuring compliance, but New Jersey and New York health officials acknowledge they are not tracking travelers once they land. ‘So how do you make sure they stay quarantined for 14 days?’… ‘It’s not a state role,’ the governor (Cuomo) reiterated. But it could become the state’s problem as airlines increase international flights.”

Trump Threatens WHO to Pull US Membership and Funding

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 19:

“Donald Trump has written a furious letter to the World Health Organization’s director-general, threatening to pull US membership and funding…

“Trump’s argument is extremely blunt: he wrote that the WHO had shown an ‘an alarming lack of independence’’ from China in its COVID-19 response, and that the US will leave if there aren’t ‘substantive improvements’ in the next 30 days… ‘I cannot allow American taxpayer dollars to continue to finance an organization that, in its present state, is so clearly not serving America’s interests,’ Trump wrote…

“The US is the world’s largest donor to the WHO — it contributed nearly 15% of its two-year budget for 2018-2019. If Washington were to stop contributing to the agency it would blow a sizeable hole in WHO funds. That’s not ideal, to say the least, especially in the middle of a global pandemic. The WHO would have to find alternative funding — fast.

“… Beijing wasn’t too impressed. Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, called the letter slanderous and said the US decision to stop WHO contributions was a violation of its international responsibilities…

“In a resolution at the World Health Assembly on Tuesday, member states called for… ‘universal, timely and equitable access’ to health technologies to help fight the pandemic… Many of the members, in particular European Union countries, are ‘trying to reinforce this organization, which is greatly needed today…’”

Is the EU going to replace the USA?

Division in the USA

npr wrote on May 15:

“… there are fears that the pandemic — especially landing in an election year — has the potential to inflame divisions to dangerous levels if left unchecked… Polling shows that masking brings the starkest partisan breakdown of any protective measure: 76% of Democrats say they wear a mask when leaving home, compared with 59% of Republicans…”

Fox News wrote on May 16 the following, authored by Tucker Carlson:

“The country appears to be splitting into two hemispheres before our eyes: There are those places where public officials are allowing science to guide their decisions; states like that are cautiously beginning to relax their lockdowns and finding no spike in illness as they do it. Those are the free states. And then there’s the other half of the country, the places where you’re glad you don’t live right now. In those places, power-drunk politicians crow about science but resolutely ignore its findings… Their decisions are driven by ambition, political calculation and the pure animal joy of controlling other people’s lives. Places like that are tightening their lockdowns even now.

“Maybe no place in the country represents the authoritarian approach, the Chinese approach, more starkly than Los Angeles does… Los Angeles Mayor Gil Garcetti has now extended the lockdown through the end of July… using law enforcement, liberally, to make certain that his citizens obey his orders. Police say they’ve brought criminal charges against at least 60 ‘non-essential’ businesses for the crime of going to work. Countless other businesses have shut forever. They’re not coming back.

“The citizens who remain stuck in Los Angeles are effectively hostages of the mayor. Garcetti has demanded that anyone who goes outside, for any reason, as the heat rises in L.A.,  must wear a mask. It goes without saying there [is] no science to back up this order — or any of Garcetti’s so-called health decisions. In fact, it’s possible that requiring masks outside will not prevent a single [person] from being infected in Los Angeles…

“Garcetti explains that anyone who goes to the beach must make certain not to touch dry sand. Wet sand is fine. Dry sand is now illegal… This… is the expression of an autocrat… It means that America’s second-largest city has fallen under the total control of a neurotic megalomaniac, who’s terrified of dry sand. Eric Garcetti’s personal phobias are now law in Los Angeles…

“In New Jersey, for example, citizens are still banned from assembling to worship together as they choose. That’s a direct violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution…”

The example of Los Angeles is indeed stupid and outrageous. How long will the people of Los Angeles put up with such ridiculous autocratic nonsensical orders? And what will happen if they refuse? Are we going to experience hostility, clashes, and worse?

Justice Department Warns California Coronavirus Rules May Violate Religious Freedoms

The Los Angeles Times wrote on May 19:

“The measures Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus and his plans to unwind them may discriminate against religious groups and violate their constitutional rights, the U.S. Justice Department warned in a letter Tuesday. In a three-page letter to the governor, Eric S. Dreiband, an assistant attorney general and the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said Newsom had shown ‘unequal treatment of faith communities’ in restricting their abilities to gather and ultimately reopen. ‘Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights,’ Dreiband wrote.

“Newsom’s office had no comment beyond confirming that it had received the letter. Dreiband raised issues both with California’s stay-at-home order and Newsom’s plan to roll it back. While worshipers cannot gather in person, even while following social distancing protocols, California has deemed employees in the entertainment and e-commerce industries essential and allowed them to continue working in person, ‘regardless of whether the product they are selling and shipping are life-preserving products or not,’ Dreiband said. ‘This facially discriminates against religious exercise,’ he said.

“Moreover, Dreiband wrote, the governor has permitted restaurants, shopping malls and offices to resume operations in the second phase of his plan to reopen California’s economy, but houses of worship cannot hold in-person services until its third, later phase. ‘The Constitution calls for California to do more to accommodate religious worship, including in stage 2 of the reopening plan,’ Dreiband said.

“In April, the Justice Department intervened in a dispute between a Mississippi church and the city of Greenville, whose police officers had broken up a service held in the church’s parking lot. At the time, Atty. Gen. William Barr said religious groups ‘must not be singled out for special burdens.’”

Oregon Supreme Court Stays Order Declaring Governmental Restrictions Null and Void

The Associated Press wrote on May 18:

“The Oregon Supreme Court late Monday halted a rural judge’s order earlier in the day that had tossed out statewide coronavirus restrictions imposed by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown. [The lower court had stated that the order by Governor Brown was null and void and unenforceable.] Baker County Circuit Judge Matthew Shirtcliff had ruled that Brown erred by not seeking the Legislature’s approval to extend the stay-at-home orders beyond a 28-day limit. The Supreme Court’s ruling stays Shirtcliff’s decision pending review by all the high court justices…

“The lower court judge had issued his opinion in response to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by 10 churches around Oregon that argued the state’s social-distancing directives were unconstitutional. In a seven-page opinion, Shirtcliff wrote that the damage to Oregonians and their livelihood was greater than the dangers presented by the coronavirus. He also noted that other businesses deemed essential, such as grocery stores, had been allowed to remain open even with large numbers of people present and have relied on masks, social distancing and other measures to protect the public…

“Courts in other states have ruled against similar orders. The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order last week, ruling that his administration overstepped its authority when it extended the order for another month without consulting legislators. A federal judge in North Carolina on Saturday sided with conservative Christian leaders and blocked the enforcement of restrictions that Gov. Roy Cooper ordered affecting indoor religious services during the pandemic…

“In Louisiana, however, a federal judge refused a minister’s request to temporarily halt Gov. John Bel Edwards’ stay-at-home order, which expired that same day…”

It seems to us, based on Oregon law, that the restrictions by Governor Brown ARE in fact null and void. Why the Oregon Supreme Court stayed the order of the rural judge is a mystery.

There is also much talk of a second pandemic in the fall.

Pat Buchanan uttered the following opinion, as published on May 18 by WND:

“Yet, even if the pandemic returns in the fall, the establishment cannot keep the country closed indefinitely. Prediction: If the people conclude they have done all they can do to mitigate the suffering from a virus they cannot eradicate, they will resist the imposition of another shutdown, and the establishment will have neither the will nor ability to push them back into their homes…”

We will see…

Staggering Unemployment Numbers in the USA

 The Associated Press wrote on May 21:

“The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits in the two months since the coronavirus took hold in the U.S. has swelled to nearly 39 million, the government reported Thursday,… a job-market collapse unprecedented in its speed.”

Jordan and Europe on Collision Course with Israel

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 17:

“Jordan’s King Abdullah warned of ‘massive conflict’ between his country and Israel if the Jewish state proceeds with annexing territory this summer in Judea and Samaria… He also suggested that his country could pull out of its peace agreement with Israel. Jordan and Egypt are the only Arab nations that formally recognize the Jewish state…

“The comments by the Jordanian leader come as several European nations are pushing for punitive action against Israel if the country forges ahead with annexation… U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said that Washington would not oppose Israeli annexation after July 1.”

The Times of Israel added on May 16:

“Jordan has been lobbying the EU to take ‘practical steps’ to make sure annexation doesn’t happen.”

Psalm 83 comes to mind. Verses 8 and 9 refer to Ammon and the sons of Lot (both referring to modern Jordan) and verse 9 refers to Assur (modern Germany).

Abbas Breaks with Israel and USA

JTA wrote on May 19:

“Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared an end to all agreements with Israel, including security cooperation, effectively turning over to Israel’s government the running of the entire West Bank. ‘The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the commitments based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones,’ Abbas said in a speech in Ramallah, which functions as the capital of the Palestinian Authority…

“Abbas said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank left him no choice, and he blamed the Trump administration’s ‘peace vision’ unveiled in January… Abbas said the PLO remained committed to the two-state outcome…

“The U.S. has little leverage to use on Abbas, with the administration having cut almost all assistance, except money for security cooperation.”

Israeli Court Tells Netanyahu He Must Appear at Start of Trial

The Algemeiner wrote on May 20:

“An Israeli court rejected on Wednesday a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be absent from the opening of his corruption trial next week, saying he must abide by the practice of hearing the charges in person. Netanyahu had asked Jerusalem District Court to be excused from his May 24 arraignment, deeming the event a formality and arguing that bringing his bodyguards would be a waste of public funds and a strain on coronavirus rules against congregations.

“Some critics, however, believed Netanyahu was trying to reduce the optics of the first criminal prosecution of a sitting Israeli prime minister. Indicted for bribery, fraud and breach in three long-running cases, he denies wrongdoing. ‘It is incumbent upon the requester, as with all other defendants, to appear and have his say in court,’ the three-judge panel said in its ruling.”

Europe’s Army Is Taking Shape

Express wrote on May 6:

“URSULA VON DER LEYEN has hinted at the formation of a European army on a number of occasions, and in a startling article she claimed the idea is ‘already taking shape’. The European Commission President wrote an article in 2019 titled ‘Europe is forming an army’ when she was still a Defence minister in Angela Merkel’s government. [She argued that the] continent needs to be self-sufficient in defending itself, and can do so by closely integrating its military forces. She added in her article for Handelsblatt: ‘Europe has to build an army.’…

“This came after Mr Juncker had also expressed interest in an EU military force. In March 2015, he said: ‘Such an army would help us to build a common foreign and security policy, as well as jointly assume the responsibilities of Europe in the world. A common army among the Europeans would convey to Russia that we are serious about defending the values of the European Union.’”

Europe WILL develop a mighty and powerful army… and much sooner than many think.

“No More EU Concessions to the UK”

BBC News wrote on May 19:

“Europe’s economic problems will not force the EU to make more concessions to the UK over Brexit or any trade deal, the French finance minister Bruno Le Maire has said. UK minister Michael Gove had previously said the Covid crisis would in some respects ‘concentrate the minds of the EU negotiators.’

“But Mr Le Maire told Hardtalk’s Stephen Sackur: ‘There won’t be any further concession from the EU and on the contrary I think this economic crisis will lead to the reinforcement of the EU, will lead to more solidarity among member states and we are not ready to make concessions that might jeopardise the EU construction.’”

US Ambassador Accuses Germany of Undermining NATO

Reuters wrote on May 14:

“The U.S. ambassador in Berlin has accused Germany of undermining NATO’s nuclear deterrent, taking aim at Chancellor Angela Merkel’s junior coalition partners after some of their leaders called for nuclear disarmament.

“Rolf Muetzenich, parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), called earlier this month for the withdrawal of all U.S. nuclear weapons from Germany – a view that divides his left-leaning party and is not shared by Merkel’s conservatives.

“In an opinion piece for German newspaper Die Welt, Ambassador Richard Grenell wrote: ‘Instead of undermining the solidarity that forms the basis of NATO’s nuclear deterrence, it is now time for Germany to meet its commitments to its allies and to continuously invest in NATO’s nuclear participation.’

“‘Germany’s political leadership, especially that of the SPD, must now make it clear the federal republic is honouring these commitments and standing by its allies,’ added Grenell, who is also U.S. President Donald Trump’s acting national intelligence chief.

“The remarks are the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington that have often been strained during Trump’s presidency. The president has pressed Germany to raise its defence spending and accused Berlin of being a ‘captive’ of Russia due to its energy reliance. But Grenell’s comments also come a day after Merkel cited ‘hard evidence’ that Russia was behind a 2015 hacker attack on her Bundestag office — an assault that she said ‘pains me’.

“‘The dangers threatening peace in Europe are not an “anachronism”, as some would have us believe,’ Grenell said. ‘The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the deployment of new nuclear-weapon-capable missiles by Russia on the periphery of Europe and new capabilities of China, North Korea and other countries make it clear that the threat is all too present.’”

While the threat from Russia is “all too present” for Germany, the relationship between Berlin and Washington is deteriorating consistently and the rift is widening. This is another reason why Germany is strongly supporting and working towards a “self-sufficient” European army.

The Pope’s Wrong Understanding of True Christianity

Crux Now wrote on May 15:

“Christians must follow the Ten Commandments, of course, but Christianity is not about following rules, it is about having a relationship with Jesus, Pope Francis said… the pope focused on… the account of the first Christian converts from paganism being ‘disturbed’ by other Christians who insisted the converts must first become Jewish and follow all Jewish laws and customs… ‘Theirs was a religion of prescriptions and, in that way, they took away the freedom of the Spirit,’ who had brought the converts directly to Christ without first having them become Jewish… ‘the Spirit of God is freedom,’ the pope said.

“The problem of individuals or groups trying to impose extra conditions on believers was present from the beginning of Christianity and continues in some quarters of the church today, he said… ‘In our own time, we have seen some church organizations that seem to be well organized, to work well, but they are all rigid… and then we have discovered the corruption that was inside, including in the founders.’”

IF the Pope believes that the Ten Commandments must be followed, “of course,” then he must teach and keep the Fourth Commandment of the Sabbath instead of Sunday. The Bible says that true Christians are spiritual Jews. And what about the corruption within the Roman Catholic Church?

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.

Amos 5:13 reads: “Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time.”

Does this passage tell God’s Church to cease proclaiming the Truth, as we are living right now in an evil time?

In order to understand this passage properly, we must first of all consider the context and the theme of the entire book of Amos. The book deals with events leading to or occurring at the “day of the Lord”—when God will powerfully and mightily intervene in the affairs of men. The day of the Lord will begin approximately one year before Christ’s return and is oftentimes described as the day of God’s wrath, as God is angry about the sins of man.

Regarding the “day of the Lord,” we read in Amos 5:18-20:

“Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him! Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?”

Even though God’s wrath will be poured out over all nations and peoples, end-time warnings in the book of Amos are specifically directed towards the modern descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah. They can be found today in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as the state of Israel.

When referring to the house of Israel, the book of Amos speaks at times about the house of Jacob (Jacob was renamed Israel when he became converted) and specifically the house of Joseph (one of Jacob’s sons). Joseph was the father of Ephraim and Manasseh. On occasion, Amos also refers to Isaac (the father of Jacob) and the house of Jeroboam (who was a wicked king of the house of Israel).

In Amos 2:4-5, we read that God will punish modern Judah (the state of Israel in the Middle East) because of their transgressions and sins: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have despised the law of the LORD, And have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray, Lies which their fathers followed. But I will send a fire upon Judah, And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.”

In Amos 2:14-16, the punishment of the modern house of Israel (cp. verse 6) is described in vivid terms, as follows: “The strong shall not strengthen his power, Nor shall the mighty deliver himself; He shall not stand who handles the bow, The swift of foot shall not escape, Nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself. The most courageous men of might Shall flee naked in that day…”

Further descriptions of the coming punishment of the house of Israel are in Amos 3:9-15: “‘… See great tumults in her midst, And the oppressed within her. For they do not know to do right,’ Says the LORD, ‘Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.’ Therefore thus says the LORD God: ‘An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered. Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,’ Says the LORD God, the God of hosts… ‘in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions… I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house; The houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end,’ Says the LORD.”

In Amos 4:6-10, God announces famine, a plague (pestilence and disease epidemics) and the sword (war) for the modern descendants of the house of Israel, and He shows very clearly the time setting in verse 12: “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

In Amos 5, God shows that no one will help the house of Israel at the time of its destruction.  We read in Amos 5:1-3: “Hear this word which I take up against you, a lamentation, O house of Israel: The virgin of Israel has fallen; She will rise no more. She lies forsaken on her land; There is no one to raise her up. For thus says the LORD God: ‘The city that goes out by a thousand Shall have a hundred left, And that which goes out by a hundred Shall have ten left to the house of Israel.”

In the midst of these descriptions of terrible destruction, God utters the following admonishment, in Amos 5:6, 15: “Seek the LORD and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it… Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”

But God knows that the leadership and the people, by and large, will not listen or repent. He says in Amos 6:1,3, 6: “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, And trust in Mount Samaria, Notable persons in the chief nation, To whom the house of Israel comes!… Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, Who cause the seat of violence to come near… [and who] are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.”

As a consequence, God will punish them severely. Amos 9:10 says: “All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, Who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.’”

God addresses and condemns the pride of the modern house of Israel (Jacob) in their strength and might (Amos 6:8; 8:7). He specifically speaks of a wrong kind of patriotism and nationalism which prevent people from turning to God. Amos 9:7-8 states: “‘Are you not like the people of Ethiopia to Me, O children of Israel?’ says the LORD. ‘Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, The Philistines from Caphtor, And the Syrians from Kir? Behold, the eyes of the LORD God are on the sinful kingdom, And I will destroy it from the face of the earth; Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,’ Says the LORD.”

God makes clear that punishment WILL come. Amos 7:8-9 and Amos 8:2-3 state: “‘Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, And the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam…  The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. And the songs of the temple Shall be wailing in that day,’ Says the LORD God—‘Many dead bodies everywhere, They shall be thrown out in silence.’”

God addresses wrong (pagan) worship services within the modern house of Israel, when He states in Amos 5:21-23: “I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies… Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.” (Compare also Hosea 2:13.) Again, in Amos 8:10: “I will turn your feasts into mourning, And all your songs into lamentation… I will make it like mourning for an only son, And its end like a bitter day.”

At that time, there will also be a famine of the Word of God, as we read in Amos 8:11-12. It is not that God’s Church will cease preaching God’s Word. In fact, Christ said in Matthew 10:23 that God’s ministers will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Rather, people will be so deceived that they will not recognize the Word of God when it is being preached. They will look for it, but won’t find it, as their minds have been blinded to the Truth. After all, they had told the prophets—those who understand prophecy—not to prophecy and to preach the Word of God (Amos 2:12). In fact, we read in Amos 5:10: “They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, And they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.” This same attitude was already prevalent at the time of Amos, when he was told NOT to preach and announce God’s warnings (Amos 7:10-13).

God had shown the people then—and He shows us today—what is going to happen (Amos 4:13), and He commands His ministers to proclaim His Word and to warn the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah and the world (Amos 3:7-8). He also shows what will happen after Christ has returned and when He sets up the government of God on this earth (Amos 9:11-15)—the good news of God’s coming Kingdom which needs to be proclaimed by His Church at this time as well.

It is in this context and in light of all the passages in the book of Amos, as discussed herein, that we must evaluate God’s statement in Amos 5:13, saying that the prudent will keep silent during this evil time.

Commentaries offer different attempts to explain this passage.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible gives this explanation:

“God said by Solomon: ‘He that reproveth a scorner getteth himself shame, and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot’ (Proverbs 9:7). And our Lord bids, ‘Give not that which is holy unto dogs, and cast not your pearls before swine’ (Matthew 7:6). They hated and rejected those who rebuked them… Since then rebuke profited not, the prophets should hold their peace. It is a fearful judgment, when God withholds His warnings. In times of punishment also the prudent keep silence… It may be too, that Amos, like Hosea 4:4, 17, expresses the uselessness of all reproof, in regard to the most of those whom be called to repentance, even while he continued earnestly to rebuke them.”

Even though some of these statements have some merit, Amos 5:13 cannot apply to the “prophets” or the ministry in God’s Church who have a duty to proclaim God’s Truth and who have to lift up their voice as a trumpet to show and declare to God’s people and the “house of Jacob” their sins and transgressions (Isaiah 58:1; Micah 3:8). In fact, it is the duty of the Church to announce the gospel of the Kingdom of God to this world as a witness, even though God knows that most will not respond and repent, but it must be done so that Jesus Christ can return.

Realizing the duty of the Church to proclaim God’s Word in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2), some commentaries make a distinction between “public” and “private” responsibilities.

Matthew Poole’s Commentary states:

“The prudent; the wise men; prophets, say some, but I rather think other private men are here meant, whose private capacity alloweth them to keep silence when others must speak.”

Similarly Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible:

“Therefore the prudent shall keep silence at that time… Not the prophets of the Lord, whose business it was at all times to reprove, and not hold their peace, let the consequence be what it would… but private persons, whose wisdom it would be to say nothing; since reproof would do no good to these persons, and they would bring a great deal of hatred [and] ill will, and trouble upon themselves as well… or the sense is, they would not speak to God on the behalf of these wicked men, knowing the decree was gone forth…”

It is true that while the ministry of the Church of God has an official duty to proclaim God’s Word publicly, that is not true for the membership or others, or even ministers in their “private” capacity. We are told that we need to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us, WHEN ASKED (1 Peter 3:15), but this does not mean that we are to approach and bombard our friends or coworkers or even our unconverted mate or just anyone we may come in contact with in an attempt to proselytize them and correct them and chastise them for their wrongdoing.

It is also true, as pointed out by Gill, that we are not to ask God to bless others in their sin; that is, to bless them for and while sinning. Rather, we could pray that God would open their minds so that they stop sinning, but the time may come and may already be here for some when God tells us not to utter those prayers anymore, as they will refuse to repent at this point in time (Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11).

The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary offers another interesting explanation of Amos 5:13:

“… the prudent—the spiritually wise… shall keep silence—not mere silence of tongue, but the prudent shall keep himself quiet from taking part in any public or private affairs which he can avoid: as it is ‘an evil time’… Ephesians 5:16 refers to this…”

A true Christian and God’s Church as a whole will not participate in the public affairs and the politics and the agenda of the rulers of this world who through their “wisdom” have become fools and enemies of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-8; 3:19-20).

In conclusion, Amos 5:13 does not tell the prudent ministers of God to cease from publicly warning the modern nations of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah, as well as the entire world, of impending disaster. God’s ministers have a duty to speak out, and woe unto them if they are negligent, lax or slack in that task (note the principle in Jeremiah 48:10 in the New Jerusalem Bible, the New International Version or the New Revised Standard Version) or if they refuse altogether to do it (Ezekiel 3:17; 33:2-11; Jeremiah 6:17; Habakkuk 2:1-3).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

A powerful NEW Trailer about our new booklet, “The Ten Commandments,” has been produced by Pastor Michael Link. It is viewable on YouTube and on our homepage (https://www.eternalgod.org/).

“Pope Francis Attacks True Christianity!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

In recent comments, Pope Francis displayed his utter ignorance of what true Christianity is all about, and he attacked true Christians in a totally inconsistent and contradictory way. WHAT DID HE SAY which was so terribly wrong? And WHY were some of his comments so utterly hypocritical? Please stay tuned to the END of this program for a very important announcement.

“Müssen wir bei Unrecht schweigen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Must We Be Silent in the Face of Injustice?”

“Denn sie wissen nicht, was sie tun,” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by Mike Richter. Title in English: “They Don’t Know What They’re Doing.”

“Those Things and These Things,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

If we truly seek to be in God’s Kingdom, then we must not compromise with the Truth of God. Rather, we must faithfully learn and live by the doctrines of God.

“Preparing for Eternity,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Robb Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

God entrusted His physical creation into the hands of man, to tend and care for our surroundings. This job was for our own physical needs and happiness. The physical is a reflection of the spiritual realm, and likewise needs tending, with the ultimate goal of directing man to God. Man has utterly failed in maintaining the physical creation as well as the spiritual necessity of drawing closer to God—as we were designed. We must not let our commission dim, even as the world around us draws closer to destruction.

On May 16, 2020, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Those Things and These Things,” and Robb Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Preparing for Eternity.”

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.

Stay-at-home orders due to the Coronavirus have meant that the changes which we normally see in small ways were missed. However, it can be really surprising when we are confronted with things or people we haven’t seen for a while.

During the past week, my wife and I had the opportunity to see our eight grandsons for the first time in several weeks. They all had changed—some less and some more in terms of their growth. On the other hand, our grandsons probably thought that granny and grandpa looked older!

This experience caused me to reflect on spiritual growth—the challenge we face in growing as Christians, “…to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). In small ways and in big ways, we are to “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Have you seen Christian growth in others? Do you know people who, over the years, have developed spiritual maturity regarding faith, hope and love? Have you ever been shocked by how much a person has changed their life by growing in the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit?

Now for the hard question, can we see this kind of spiritual growth in ourselves? Do we have love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? That is, do we have more of these godly characteristics now than last year or the year before?

Put another way, can we say that we are overcoming—sin, this world and Satan? Are we overcoming our own selfish desires and yielding completely to God’s Will? Let’s remember and never lose sight of the strong admonition Jesus gave to His Church in the passages of chapters two and three of the Book of Revelation. Simply stated, we must be overcomers!

Christians are to reach full growth, and that is perfection, once we are born again members in the Family of God. But we must strive towards that perfection already now (Matthew 5:48). Along the way, we, too, must be showing recognizable growth in godliness. One way to do so is to face up to ways in which we know that we are not growing as we should—and change!

If we do, perhaps we will hear these words spoken to us, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful…” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

by Norbert Link

We begin with an article about alleged experiences with ghosts during self-isolation (please view our new StandingWatch program, titled “Haunted Houses and Ghosts during Self-Isolation?”); and continue with the status of worldwide travel bans and the dire situation of the tourist industry, while focusing especially on the United Kingdom and Germany. We speak on huge demonstrations in Germany against governmental restrictions and a new German law, instigated by openly gay German Health Minister Jens Spahn, prohibiting conversion therapies of minors who are gay. We also report on a highly controversial law in France on “hate speech” and “religious bigotry.”

Turning to the USA, we report, among other events, on the terrible conditions and ever-growing statistics of America’s unemployed. We also point out critical voices in the media questioning the accuracy of Dr. Fauci’s predictions, and the long-term dangers of draconian restrictions and other measures by the US federal and state governments.

We also address a dire warning of bishops, doctors, lawyers and journalists pertaining to reactions to the coronavirus and the possibility of a schism in the Catholic Church; and we report on the worldwide breakdown of our healthcare systems.

We focus on the EU’s warning against Israel in case of annexation, and a frightening development in light of microchips which have been implanted in unsuspecting victims.

We conclude with nationwide opposition of American churches to the governmental prohibitions of personal religious assembly.

Ghosts and Self-Isolation

DNYUZ wrote on May 14:

 “For those whose experience of self-isolation involves what they believe to be a ghost, their days are punctuated not just by Zoom meetings or home schooling, but by disembodied voices, shadowy figures, misbehaving electronics, invisible cats… and even, in some cases… free-floating, full-torso vaporous apparitions…

“In 1999, immediately before Y2K… a spike in reported ghost and poltergeist activity [was reported], as well as U.F.O. sightings… [It could] have something to do with our heightened state of anxiety… Times of great unease…, when there is an increased drive to find meaning in chaos, can lend themselves to perceived hauntings…

 “In quarantine… you are trapped at home… it’s comforting to think that there’s a supernatural agent here with you…”

For important information on this subject, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled “Haunted Houses and Ghosts during Self-Isolation?”  

Boris Johnson Wants to Impose Two Week Quarantine on Air Travelers

Business Insider wrote on May 10:

“[Boris] Johnson… announced plans to, at a future date, impose a two-week quarantine on people arriving in the country by air… ‘To prevent re-infection from abroad, I am serving notice that it will soon be the time… to impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air,’ he said. The prime minister did not explain whether the same restrictions would apply to those arriving in the UK by sea or train.”

In fact, Johnson did not explain anything. Airlines already responded by saying that this would be their ruin, as nobody would want to come to the UK anymore. Express added on May 11 that, due to a special agreement, “Britain will not quarantine travellers coming into the UK from France.”

Germany is facing similar challenges. Note the next articles.

Travel Ban… Some Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 8:

“The European Commission on Friday recommended extending travel restrictions for non-EU nationals at the bloc’s external borders until June 15, saying ‘the situation remains fragile both in Europe and worldwide.’…

“EU officials said frictionless travel within the bloc’s internal borders and the visa-free Schengen area would be prioritized over non-essential travel from non-EU countries. ‘Restrictions on free movement and internal border controls will need to be lifted gradually before we can remove restrictions at the external borders and guarantee access to the EU for non-EU residents for non-essential travel,’ said Ylva Johansson, EU Commission for Home Affairs….

“Going forward, the European Commission said, ‘Any further prolongation of the travel restriction beyond June 15, 2020, would need to be assessed again, based on the evolution of the epidemiological situation.’”

Breitbart wrote on May 13:

“The German government is recommending that a requirement for people arriving from other countries in Europe to self-quarantine for 14 days be dropped. Germany last month imposed a requirement for all people arriving in the country to go straight home and stay there for two weeks, except those who were on very short trips, commuting to their jobs, transporting goods or in some other essential functions.

“A court in the northern state of Lower Saxony suspended the rule for that region this week. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Wednesday he is recommending that state governments, which are responsible for quarantines, drop the requirement for travelers from other European countries but maintain it for arrivals from other nations such as the United States and Russia.”

It will have to be seen what is going to happen after June 15. We hope and pray that travel bans between the USA and Europe will be lifted by then, and that the discriminatory self-quarantine regulations for 14 days especially towards US travelers will be dropped as well.  

German Tourism Industry Suffers with the Support of Many Germans

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 10:

“… every third job in the German tourism sector could be lost… around a million… of the some 3 million people working in the sector in Germany were at risk of becoming unemployed… 70% were already working short-time… [It was felt that] big online companies [would be] dominating the market while smaller travel agencies and tour operators [would disappear].

“The tourism industry in Germany is likely also to suffer under the current unwillingness of Germans to travel amid the uncertainties created by the coronavirus crisis. A recent YouGov survey showed that almost half of Germans (48%) do not want to see European borders reopened for the summer holidays… Some 42% had dropped the idea of taking a holiday at all…”

This happens when fear and panic reigns.

Large Demonstrations in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 9:

“Over 3,000 people rallied in Munich and thousands more gathered in Stuttgart and across Germany [including Berlin] on Saturday to demand the lifting of restrictions ordered by the German authorities…

“The protesters accuse politicians and medical workers of spreading panic and infringing on the population’s rights with the prolonged lockdown. Some of the rallies included anti-vaccination activists…

“Over two-thirds of German residents support the need for social distancing, according to the latest research published by the official BfR Institute. However, this still marks a sharp drop from the numbers reported in March, when 92% supported the restrictions.”

Bild Online reported that over 15,000 demonstrators protested in Germany over the weekend. As governmental restrictions continue, more and more Germans will be found opposing the same. The accuracy of above-quoted figures of alleged approval by the majority of Germans must be disputed anyhow, based on the many comments on social media. 

Germany Bans Conversion of Gays who are Minors

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 8:

“German lawmakers voted to pass a law on Thursday banning so called ‘conversion therapies’ that are aimed at suppressing sexual orientation or gender identity. ‘Homosexuality is not an illness,’ said Health Minister Jens Spahn who is openly gay. ‘Therefore the term therapy is already misleading.’

“Under the new law, advertising or offering conversion therapy will be prohibited for children up to the age of 18. Violators can be fined up to up to €30,000 ($33,000) or sentenced to up to one year in prison. Parents and guardians who force their children to undergo the programs can also be charged for violating their duty of care… the new law… carries punishments as well if an adult consented to the therapy after being deceived, coerced or threatened…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and their Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners voted in favor of the ban, as well as the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP). The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) largely abstained, except for one vote against the law. The Left Party and the Greens also abstained from the vote, but argued that the law didn’t go far enough to protect young adults…”

We agree with Jens Spahn that homosexuality is not an illness. According to the Bible, it is an abomination.

New Controversial Law in France

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 13:

“Legislation that passed the National Assembly on Wednesday gives platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat a [24 hour] deadline to remove… ‘manifestly illicit’ [posts] — such as hate speech, racist comments, or religious bigotry…

“The law also sets up a prosecutor specialized in digital content and a government unit to observe online hate speech… The law has been severely criticized…

“Arguing against the law on Wednesday, conservative lawmaker Constance Le Grip warned of a danger to ‘in a way, entrust the policing of thought and expression’ to private businesses mostly based in foreign countries. Populist leader Marine Le Pen said the law was ‘a serious violation of the freedom of expression.’”

In this, Le Pen is absolutely correct. In addition, the definition of hate speech and religious bigotry is open to arbitrary interpretation and discrimination.

“The US Government Is Failing Us”

Reuters wrote on May 7:

“Since losing her position at the makeup counter at the Macy’s department store in Orlando, Florida, on March 28, Alejandra spends her days trying to secure the unemployment benefits that should have arrived weeks ago, sometimes placing more than 100 calls a day.

“The online application, a 10-hour ordeal of error messages, ended with a notice that her identity could not be verified. If she’s lucky, she’ll reach a representative who will say there’s nothing they can do to help. Otherwise, it’s a busy signal, or an hours-long wait on hold, followed by a sudden hang-up…

“In the past six weeks, states have struggled to process over 33 million jobless claims, more than they typically see in a year. That figure does not capture those who have been unable to even file a claim due to bureaucratic hurdles — up to 14 million more, according to an Economic Policy Institute study released last week.”

There is no question that our entire system is breaking down.

Unemployment in the USA MUCH WORSE than Previously Announced

In a related article, Reuters wrote on May 8:

“Millions of U.S. residents were counted as employed in April despite having no job, suggesting April’s true unemployment rate was closer to 20%, much higher than the official 14.7% reported, the Labor Department said Friday. The jobless rate should have included people on temporary unpaid leave, furloughed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the government said.

“But responses to the survey by which the data was collected show 11.5 million people were categorized as employed but absent from work because of vacation, parental leave or other reasons, but including 8.1 million absent for ‘unspecified’ reasons, a group that usually numbers about 620,000… The jobs report probably also undercounted the unemployment rate in a second way – by missing people who wanted work but weren’t looking for it because of near-ubiquitous stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“The Labor Department excludes people who are not in an active job search from its count of the unemployed, classifying them instead as out of the workforce. But in April, 9.9 million people who were not in the labor force – one in every 10 – also said they wanted a job, the highest number since the Labor Department began keeping track.”

Another 2.98 million Americans filed jobless claims last week. Taking the last two articles together, the actual number of unemployed workers is even much higher than 20%. This is astronomical.

Katie Miller Tests Positive for the Coronavirus

JTA wrote on May 8:

“Katie Miller, the wife of presidential adviser Stephen Miller and the spokesperson for Vice President Mike Pence, has tested positive for the coronavirus… the news has big implications: her husband, who handles speechwriting and immigration policy duties, is one of Trump’s closest advisers…

“Stephen Miller and Katie Waldman married in February at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, a senior adviser to David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, officiated.”

We are very sad about anyone who contracts the coronavirus, and that includes of course Katie Miller. But that her husband Stephen Miller is Jewish (his great-grandmother escaped the 1903–06 anti-Jewish pogroms in Belarus and other parts of the Russian Empire to immigrate to the USA) and still pursues the terrible immigration policy of his (note articles on immigration in our Update, Number 922, from May 1, 2020), is even more shameful in light of the appalling atrocities the Jews had to suffer when similar immigration policies prevented them escaping from Nazi Germany.

Listening to the “Experts”?

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 12:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before a US Senate Committee today to warn Senators against opening the country after the coronavirus outbreak. Opening too soon – before a vaccine – will bring needless death and suffering, he said.

“No mention of the needless death and suffering caused by the lockdown itself – cancer treatments cancelled, surgeries cancelled, Depression-level economic collapse, depression, suicide, abuse. How long must we continue listening to this ‘expert’ who has gotten everything wrong thus far?”

Fauci’s fascination with and interest in a global vaccine is quite remarkable.

Fox News Moderators Attack Fauci

The Huffington Post wrote on May 13:

“Fox News’ prime time personalities lashed out Tuesday [against] Dr. Anthony Fauci…

“[Tucker] Carlson, in a lengthy monologue, ranted about Fauci being an unelected official, asked whether he should be entrusted with the power to make long-term health recommendations and called him out for what the host said were past contradictory statements… ‘This is not the result of any kind of democratic process at work at all,’ he continued. ‘Yet, in the last four months, Fauci has become one of the most powerful people in the world… Carlson also appeared to call Fauci the ‘chief buffoon of the professional class.’…

“[Laura] Ingraham also seized on Fauci’s unelected status, claiming Democrats want to ‘keep this panic parade going’ until the 2020 election. [Sean] Hannity, meanwhile, accused Fauci of siding with ‘the left’ to favor ‘massive restrictions with no end in sight… It’s time to reopen our country and our economy safely… Americans are a free people. It is up to all of us to calculate the risk and make our own decisions.’”

President Trump needs to be careful not to appear to turn over too much authority to Fauci, given the strong opposing voices of his influential supporters, such as Carlson, Ingraham and Hannity. Trump might be sensing this himself, calling Fauci’s caution on schools reopening “not an acceptable answer” (CNN, May 13). The Independent added on May 13:

“Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has struck down Governor Tony Evers’s stay-at-home order… The court declared that the order was ‘unlawful, invalid and unenforceable’ in its ruling.”

The Danger of Draconian Measures

The Ron Paul Institute published on May 13 the following article from the Rutherford Institute, dated May 12:

“COVID-19 has taken a significant toll on the nation emotionally, physically, and economically, but there are still greater dangers on the horizon… Now there’s talk of mass testing for COVID-19 antibodies, screening checkpoints, contact tracing, immunity passports… and snitch tap lines for reporting ‘rule breakers’ to the authorities…

“This war on COVID-19 will be yet another war on the American people, waged with all of the surveillance weaponry at the government’s disposal: thermal imaging cameras, drones, contact tracing, biometric databases, etc. So you see, when you talk about empowering government agents to screen the populace in order to control and prevent spread of this virus, what you’re really talking about is creating a society in which ID cards, round ups, checkpoints and detention centers become routine weapons used by the government to control and suppress the populace, no matter the threat.

“… in Germany, the Nazis required all Jews to carry special stamped ID cards for travel within the country. A prelude to the yellow Star of David badges, these stamped cards were instrumental in identifying Jews for deportation to death camps in Poland…

“In South Africa during apartheid, pass books were used to regulate the movement of black citizens and segregate the population. The Pass Laws Act of 1952 stipulated where, when and for how long a black African could remain in certain areas…

“Through the use of identity cards, Ethiopian authorities were able to identify people with Eritrean affiliation during the mass expulsion of 1998. The Vietnamese government was able to locate ethnic Chinese more easily during their 1978-79 expulsion. The USSR used identity cards to force the relocation of ethnic Koreans (1937), Volga Germans (1941), Kamyks and Karachai (1943), Crimean Tartars, Meshkhetian Turks, Chechens, Ingush and Balkars (1944) and ethnic Greeks (1949). And ethnic Vietnamese were identified for group denationalization through identity cards in Cambodia in 1993, as were the Kurds in Syria in 1962.

“And in the United States, post-9/11, more than 750 Muslim men were rounded up on the basis of their religion and ethnicity and detained for up to eight months. Their experiences echo those of 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were similarly detained 75 years ago following the attack on Pearl Harbor…

“In the case of a national identification system, it might start off as a means of tracking COVID-19 cases in order to ‘safely’ re-open the nation, but it will end up as a means of controlling the American people…”

Many will not agree with such sentiments, perhaps thinking that they are overblown and based on paranoia. But even among those who might be willing to give them a more serious thought, who will really heed those warnings and contemplate the dangers involved? Note also the next article.

Three Reminders from the Bill of Rights

The Ron Paul Institute published on May 13 an article from the “Future of Freedom Foundation”:

“As a condition for accepting the Constitution, the American people… wanted a Bill of Rights to make it clear that the federal government was prohibited from doing the things that are listed in the Bill of Rights…

“First, the Bill of Rights, does not give people rights. Our ancestors understood that rights come from nature and God, not from government. People’s rights preexist government.

“Second, the Bill of Rights consists of prohibitions and restrictions on the federal government… our ancestors knew that the federal power would inevitably attract people to public office who would do the types of things that were being restricted. They would criminalize speech, especially speech that was critical of federal officials. They would ban protests against government. They would force people to subscribe to a certain religion. They would seize people’s guns. They would punish any malefactor by simply having civil or military agents take people into custody, incarcerate them, torture them, or execute them, all without trial by jury and due process of law. The Bill of Rights was to serve as a reminder that federal officials had no legitimate power to do any of these things.

“Third, the Bill of Rights contains no emergency or crisis exception… our ancestors knew that historically crises and emergencies were the time-honored way by which people lost their liberties at the hands of their own government. During such times, people become afraid and their natural tendency is to look to the government to keep them safe and secure. They forget that the biggest threat to their liberty is their very own government, as reflected in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Thus, they eagerly trade away their liberty for ‘security.’ Later, when the crisis or emergency has passed, they discover that the government is unwilling to give up the power it has acquired over them.”

 Americans who are far too willing to unquestionably embrace and agree with draconian governmental restrictions limiting our freedoms would be well advised to remember the contents and the purpose of the Bill of Rights.

Mobilizing the Military

Reuters wrote on May 14:

“President Donald Trump is mobilizing the U.S. military to distribute a novel coronavirus vaccine when one becomes available and will focus first on older Americans… ‘Our military is now being mobilized so at the end of the year, we’re going to be able to give it to a lot of people very, very rapidly.’ …

“The White House has set a target of having 300 million vaccine doses by the end of 2020. No such vaccine for this pathogen has been approved though a number are under development…”

So, will Americans be forced by the military to take that vaccine, however unsafe, if one were to be developed and delivered by the military? 

According to Homeland Security Today, dated May 12, “the Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announce[d] a $138 million contract with ApiJect Systems America for ‘Project Jumpstart’ and ‘RAPID USA,’ which together will dramatically expand U.S. production capability for domestically manufactured, medical-grade injection devices starting by October 2020… the contract will support ‘Jumpstart’ to create a U.S.-based, high-speed supply chain for prefilled syringes beginning later this year… ‘Jumpstart’ will enable the manufacture of more than 100 million prefilled syringes for distribution across the United States by year-end 2020…”

Warning Rejected

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 10:

“Catholic bishops in Germany have dissociated themselves from a letter in which several prominent Catholic clergy question the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic and the measures taken by governments across the world to stem it…

“The vicar general of the city of Essen, Klaus Pfeffer, said on Facebook that he was ‘simply speechless at what was being published there in the name of the Church and Christianity: crude conspiracy theories without facts or evidence, combined with aggressive right-wing populist rhetoric that sounds alarming.’

“The letter, signed by such Catholic notables as the German Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller [and] Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano from Italy… claims that the pandemic is being exploited to restrict basic rights ‘disproportionately and unjustifiably.’ It also maintains that the contagiousness of the novel coronavirus has been overstated by authorities…

“It strongly criticizes governments around the world for the lockdowns imposed in a bid to stem the spread of the virus, saying that ‘the imposition of these illiberal measures is a disturbing prelude to the realization of a world government beyond all control.’

“In one strongly worded sentence, it claims that ‘centuries of Christian civilization’ could be ‘erased under the pretext of a virus’ and an ‘odious technological tyranny’ established in its place…

“The German Bishops’ Conference had earlier stated that the restrictions in Germany, which also led to the temporary cancelation of church services, were ‘sensible and responsible,’ while urging a ‘responsible and proportionate’ relaxation of the measures when appropriate.”

Actually, the above-quoted article by Deutsche Welle ignores the fact that the appeal was signed by over 80 signatories, including prelates, physicians, lawyers, journalists and academics. One of the signatories is environmental lawyer Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., son of the late Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of John F. Kennedy. The appeal also warned that a vaccine might be developed and manufactured from aborted fetuses.

Schism in the Catholic Church?

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 12:

“A schism is taking place that is tearing the Vatican apart…

“Pope Francis differs from his predecessor in many ways. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III, who reigned in the 8th century…

“‘The Church is at a crossroads, trying to figure out what is the future for them,’ [a] source said…”

The Coronavirus Dilemma

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 10:

“… many health systems are requesting that higher-risk patients voluntarily sign an agreement that allows doctors to withhold attempts at resuscitation. In some cases, parents are being asked to sign a form telling the doctors to allow… their children to die.

“… official guidelines for doctors in Italy stated that only patients ‘deemed worthy of intensive care’ should receive such care and decisions based on a ‘distributive justice’ approach balanced the demand for care versus available resources. At the height of the crisis, some regions of Italy were using a cut off of 65-years-old in case of pre-existing comorbidities…

“In the UK, patients with illnesses that are considered ‘life-limiting’ are being asked to sign ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ orders (DNR). Incurable cancer, motorneurone diseases, untreatable heart and lung conditions, are considered to be at especially high risk if they contract COVID-19 and are being asked to sign DNRs while still uninfected. The DNR notes that people with these conditions will be ‘unlikely to be offered hospital admission if they become unwell and certainly will not be offered a ventilator bed.’…

“But it is not just the elderly and sick who are the focus of selective health care. In the UK, parents of vulnerable and sick children are being asked by physicians to sign a DNR if their children catch Covid-19. The order instructs medics not to perform CPR if a patient stops breathing or their heart stops…

“… all of the countries that have legalized euthanasia (Netherlands, Belgium, Columbia, Luxembourg, Canada, Switzerland, and Germany) have universal health care. There are currently six states in the U.S. with legalized euthanasia.”

Doctors have pledged an oath to save life, not to destroy it. How can they practice under the circumstances as described above?

Will Europe Sanction Israel?

The Times of Israel wrote on May 12:

“Reportedly led by France, European nations seek to warn Israel of sanctions from its largest trading partner if it declares sovereignty over parts of territory (Judea and Samaria).

“According to the Haaretz daily, the proposed steps include announcing that Israel would be prevented from entering into trade agreements with the bloc, receiving EU grants or participating in other forms of cooperation with the union….

“A slight majority of Jews — 51.7% — support annexation… while only 8.8% of Arab Israelis were in favor…”

Israel will go ahead with annexation, and it will be interesting to see how Europe will react.

Being Micro-Chipped by Israeli Government?

Breaking Israel News wrote on May 12:

“Several of the victims, who reportedly represent hundreds of others, came forward… claiming that they have been micro-chipped by Israel’s intelligence community and even have the X-rays to prove it.

“… the chips, which are engineered using state-of-the-art technology, can be injected and cause people pain at the push of a button. [Victims claim] that these chips can ‘enact mind control including emotions like fear’…

“[It is claimed that] this chip can cause its victims to suddenly urinate in the middle of the street and cause epileptic seizures.”

This would be absolutely disgusting and appalling, if true.

Churches Still Closed on Pentecost?

The Huffington Post wrote on May 12:

“Several California pastors have pledged to reopen their churches on May 31 ‘or sooner,’ regardless of whether their plan lines up with a schedule put forth by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“The pastors released a letter… arguing… that people of faith have a right to worship in person…

“In their open letter to Newsom and California’s public health officer, the pastors ― who are mostly evangelical Christians and claim to represent 1,500 churches in the state ― say the mandated shutdown of houses of worship has been detrimental and argue churches should be considered ‘essential.’…

“May 31 is the Day of Pentecost, which commemorates a Bible story about Jesus’ followers gathering together after his death and being given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Some consider this to be the moment when the church was formed…

“The pastors are being represented by… the Advocates for Faith & Freedom and The National Center for Law and Policy… Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based conservative Christian law firm, is backing a call for churches across the country to resume in-person worship. Other conservative religious legal groups have signed up to represent churches that want to reopen….”

The opposition by churches and their lawsuits against the governmental restrictions and prohibitions against religious assembly in person won’t go away any time soon, until they are being lifted.

Restrictions During Fall Holy Days?

The Times of Israel reported on May 8:

“[Anthony Fauci] said the risk was likely to carry over into the High Holidays this fall, and that pandemic risk mitigation should continue to apply to worship at that time.”

In other words, continue with prohibitions against assemblies in churches and synagogues even during the fall festivals of Trumpets, Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles? We should clearly understand that none other than Satan is behind these efforts.

 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.

We state in our Statement of Beliefs, under “The Church’s Commission”:

“We believe that it is the Church’s commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God to all nations as a witness, to warn all nations, and especially the lost tribes of the house of Israel (mainly in the United States, Great Britain, certain Commonwealth nations and nations in Northwestern Europe) of impending danger, and to feed the flock of Christ—the Church—spiritually and physically.”

Regarding the gospel of the Kingdom of God, we state this in our free booklet, “How to Find the True Church of God”:

“… the gospel includes, among other aspects, a message ABOUT Jesus Christ (Luke 24:44–46); about the grace of God (Acts 20:24); repentance and forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47); the belief in and obedience to the gospel (Mark 1:15; Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8); our salvation (Ephesians 1:13); peace (Ephesians 6:15); the promise of eternal life (2 Timothy 1:10); rulership of Christ and the saints here on earth (Revelation 20:4, 6; Daniel 2:44; 7:21–22, 27); and a message about the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:11)…

“We read that it is the gospel OF Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 9:12), or Christ’s gospel (2 Corinthians 2:12). It is a message that God the Father gave to Jesus Christ, the ‘Messenger’ (Malachi 3:1) in order to proclaim it (compare also Revelation 1:1). But the gospel message was also Christ’s message, because it is called the gospel OF the Kingdom of God, and Christ is a member of the Kingdom of God.”

So, the gospel is a message which is given to us from God the Father and Jesus Christ to proclaim to this world as a witness or testimony, prior to Christ’s return (Matthew 24:14). Even though it is good news, it includes, by necessity, a warning message to show what is going to happen when God is being disobeyed (Isaiah 24:4-6).

When reviewing our published material in light of the foregoing, we should see how it all relates to God’s commission to His Church (to preach the gospel, as explained above, and to feed the flock) which is called upon to proclaim the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:25-27).

For instance, our booklets deal with God’s Word, the Bible, and His Law and the penalties when it is broken. We have just published a new comprehensive booklet of over 170 pages, titled “The Ten Commandments,” which discusses God’s spiritual Law in a unique way. You will not find anything quite like it anywhere else, and we encourage you to request your free copy.

Our booklets also talk about prophetic events leading to Christ’s near return; who and what God is; His weekly and annual Holy Days; pagan holidays; Christian living; the future of the Jewish people; and the identity of the modern house of Israel as well as modern Gentile nations which are specifically addressed in the Bible, including the rise of a prophesied European power bloc and the downfall of the United States and the United Kingdom.

The foregoing applies likewise to our sermons and sermonettes which deal to a large extent with feeding the flock, but also with the task of preaching the gospel, as explained above.

The motto of our weekly StandingWatch programs is: “Proclaiming the warnings of prophecy for our times and announcing the good news of the coming Kingdom of God.” They also address the right and wrong kind of living, as this is part of the gospel message as well. As ambassadors for Christ, we are to show the world how to live, for this will be the Way of Life when Christ will set up the Kingdom or Government of God on this earth within a few years from now.

Focusing on our weekly Updates, they include an editorial and a Q&A by one of our ministers, addressing diverse matters in light of biblical injunctions. They also include a “Current Events” section which publish many news articles from around the world, and oftentimes, we add our own comments to these articles. At the end of each Current Events section, we state the following:

“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.”

It is therefore incumbent upon the reader to view our material, including the Current Events section, in the light of the Church’s commission, as explained herein. Much thought goes into what to publish, and it never occurs “just to fill the pages.” In most cases, the relevance is obvious at first glance, but sometimes, more individual analysis might be required as to why a particular article was published and why a specific comment was made.

In all of this, we must understand that the Church is not engaged in politics. We do not endorse any political candidate or party, and we do not vote in governmental elections.  We do not, of course, participate in war, either. But this does not mean that we would not comment on wrong behavior and propaganda of politicians and social and religious leaders. In that light, we will publish articles with viewpoints different from the “official” versions of the mass media, as long as those viewpoints appear relevant and seem to have merit, and it behooves the reader to evaluate those opposing views in the light of biblical values.

We also comment on social injustice, which is contrary to God’s Word. In fact, we must do so, to show the contrast between God’s Way of Life and the ways of this evil world ruled by Satan the Devil.

To emphasize this point even more, we should look at the warning messages contained in the books of the major and minor prophets, and realize how strongly they uttered their warnings by crying aloud, sparing not and showing God’s people their sins (Isaiah 58:1). In many cases, evil rulers and their bad conduct were the targets of their warnings, and they did not shy away from doing so. At the same time, the prophets of old castigated the people as well for following the ungodly conduct of their rulers. John the Baptist was not afraid to point out publicly the sexual sin of King Herod, because it had become a public affair.

The concept of submitting to human governments and their political propaganda must be seen in context. We have just completed a new booklet, which we have posted on our website, titled, “Obeying God rather than Men.” Printed copies should be available very soon. In this booklet, we point out that we must never obey man, when we would thereby violate God’s Law, in letter or in spirit. This also means that we cannot adopt and endorse man’s concepts and ideas when they are in opposition to God’s directives.

For instance, as we point out in our booklet, we are obligated to pay our taxes, but this does not mean that we should not address the improper use of those taxes for ungodly purposes. When confronted with illegal actions from the government, we have every right as Christians to point these out and to object to those through legal means.

While God’s people will never engage in violent rebellion or violent demonstrations against the government, we will not shrink back from pointing out ungodly conduct which causes the ruin of the nation. God has made it very clear that any nation will be cursed if it engages in actions that violate God’s laws, and many kinds of curses are enumerated in many places in the Bible.  They include defeat in war, incurable sicknesses, famine, and much more.

The prophets of old also strongly condemned social injustice in the land, in just about every aspect of life. They addressed the mistreatment of foreigners, orphans and widows as much as sexual perversion and alcohol abuse. And of course, they condemned the leaders and the people for being engaged in horrible pagan worship practices. Can we see how all of this relates to our present time, and how this kind of ancient warning message for the same kind of violations, as we observe them today, must be proclaimed with boldness and conviction in this day and age?

This is even more pertinent, as the Bible warns of political, social and religious deception and a falling away from the Truth.  This falling away can be easily caused or at least influenced by the wrong acceptance of political and religious propaganda, no matter in what country one might be living, including war mongering or the right to use guns against others. It can be caused by upholding positions that are contrary to the Bible, but which are being upheld due to one’s background, upbringing or personal preferences.

It is therefore the Church’s responsibility to continue to point out God’s viewpoint, as revealed in the Bible, on all of these matters. It is part of the Church’s commission to educate the members in order to prevent false concepts from being absorbed and retained, leading them to turn away from the Truth.

God commands us to come out of today’s Babylonian system of confusion—to leave every erroneous concept behind and to embrace instead the Truth in every aspect of life. God’s Word tells us what the Truth is, and our Current Events show, week after week, the false concepts of this world and of its representatives, which are contrasted by the right concepts of God the Father and Jesus Christ, as being upheld by God’s true Church.

God offers us protection at a place of safety during the terrible days of the soon-coming Great Tribulation, and He will give us eternal life if we are counted worthy to be in the first resurrection. It is the Church’s duty to prepare the membership for these dark times ahead, so that we can all enjoy together our glorious future in the Kingdom of God.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

Our newest booklet, “Obeying God Rather Than Man,” is now posted.  Copies of this booklet will be sent to our subscribers following printing.

“Haunted Houses and Ghosts during Self-Isolation?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary: 

Being confined for an extended period of time to self-isolation and quarantine can have a devastating psychological effect on some people. But can it even cause imagined or real paranormal encounters with ghosts, as some claim?

“Verlieren wir unsere Freiheiten für immer?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the topic described in last week’s StandingWatch program with some additional material (“Will We Lose Our Freedoms Forever?”).

“Die Schlacht am großen Tag Gottes,” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “The Battle of the Great Day of God.”

“Mäßige Dein Temperament,” is the title of last Sabbath’s sermonette in Germany, presented by Christoph Sperzel. Title in English: “Moderate Your Temperament.”

“The Light of the Bible,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Robb Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We are surrounded by a culture that cannot find truth.  The deception of Satan is so complete that his lies are the only truth many understand.  We must stay clear of any worldly persuasions that lead us, not to truth, but into deceit that blinds the world of God’s truth.

“Committed,” is the title of last Sabbath’s sermon, presented by Eric Rank. Here is a summary:

When we started our Christian journey, there was no way to know all of the challenges we would face and how our lives would change. Knowing that we will continue to face challenges and change, are we committed to persevere? What are the sources of inspiration that we can draw from to help us strengthen our commitment?

On May 9, 2020, Robb Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “The Light of the Bible,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Committed.”

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.

Sometimes, during normal times (although, at present, these are not normal times), life can be reasonably comfortable. We can have enough food, somewhere to live, a job that can be satisfying, family and friends. When thought about, all of these can be a great blessing. But when we look deeply into many aspects of today’s world, we will find that many things are not as they could be, or should be. And when we compare today’s world with what God has promised, we will see a dramatic difference. This world, at its best, still falls way short of the ideal.

One of the titles of Jesus Christ is Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Some examples when He protected Israel are at the Red Sea and in the time of Hezekiah. The Israelites did not have to fight, but God fought for them and destroyed their enemies. In the future, God will fight against the armies of Gog when they come to invade the unprotected cities of Israel. It will be at a time when Israel is living safely (Ezekiel 38:11, 21-23). Again, God will protect Israel without them having to fight.

When we look at today’s situation, well over half of all discretionary spending of the US federal budget goes to the military. Considering the rest of the world, there are wars in progress in parts of the Middle East, Asia and Africa, as well as in other regions. Millions of people are being killed, impoverished or displaced from their homes due to these ongoing wars. A situation that desperately needs changing and in God’s Kingdom, there will be no need for any military or the expenses incurred. Think of how that money could be used more effectively for the benefit of people rather than killing them.

Another of God’s names is “I am the LORD who heals you” (Exodus 15:26). God makes many promises for healing, and Ezekiel 47:12 states that in the Kingdom of God, the leaves of the trees beside the river will be for medicine. He also tells us that no one will be sick anymore. He has made many promises that when people obey Him, there will be health benefits for them.

Again, looking at today’s situation, the total US spending on Medicare and health by the federal government exceeds even military spending. Interestingly, over 60% of personal bankruptcies in the US are caused by medical expenses. The US has the highest medical costs in the world, but nowhere near the best outcomes. In God’s Kingdom, most, if not all, of these expenses will be eliminated. Deuteronomy 28:21-22 reveals some health curses that will be upon those who will not obey Him. The first curse listed in these verses is most appropriate for today. “The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land you are going to possess” (verse 21). The alternative reading for plague is pestilence.

Another situation we can consider is food supplies. As has been shown by a few far-sighted farmers, this world could feed around ten billion people. There are many promises that in God’s Kingdom, there will be great abundance. In Ezekiel 36:27-30 we read about God’s promise of abundance when people finally obey Him. Notice that He says that He will “call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you” (verse 29). He also says that “you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations” (verse 30).

However, the problems we have today that interrupt food supplies include war, measures taken to fight the coronavirus, locust plagues, droughts, floods, wildfires and other hazards. Due to the current situation, there are difficulties in the distribution of food. Because of the closing down of sporting events, conferences, hotels and restaurants and schools, and even a shortage of labour, farmers either cannot harvest their crops or have lost many of their markets making farming unprofitable. On the other side of the coin, food banks desperately need more food but are unable to obtain sufficient quantities to distribute to the needy.

There are many other areas in this world that fall short of God’s ways or even go diametrically opposite them. An example is education where there are too many cases, especially in sex education, that anything goes. While totally ignoring God’s purpose for marriage and family. We can also think of the ungodly concept of the evolution theory. The education system also tries to rewrite history regarding the belief in the Bible of the original settlers and statesmen of the US, due to a liberal, non-Christian agenda.

Again, in sport and entertainment, violence is very common. Films glorifying war are very popular and, depending in what country films are made, the hero in one film may very well be fighting the hero in another film. In the Kingdom of God, no one in sport or entertainment will be idolized. God will have the glory. But there will still be joy and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

As for politics and government, there will no longer be elections where each candidate is trying to show they are best for the job. Government will be for the benefit of all people, not for the glory or financial gain of elected officials.

I will not mention business or justice but I’m sure we understand that often times, these are not in accordance with God’s commandments or statutes.

So, ever since Adam and Eve took the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, this world has been a mixture of human goodness and evil, neither of which is acceptable to God. But His desire for us is to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). This is totally acceptable to God, and when we do this, we will all have a deep longing for the Kingdom of God.

by Norbert Link

We begin with interesting developments within and pertaining to the history and the current situation of the Roman Catholic Church and some of their popes [please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Will We Lose Our Freedoms Forever?”]; address the appearance of the bee-devouring “murder hornet” in the USA and a mysterious bee-killing disease in the UK; and point out man’s lust for war and the economic might of the EU.

We speak on censorship of the free media around the world and the suppression of views which are not “politically correct”; ongoing drastic restrictions on travel; the possibility that there will never be a vaccine for coronavirus; and the dangers of a pandemic drone.

We address the unpresented unemployment figures in the USA since the Great Depression; rising beef prices; and the rising anger and defiance of Californians toward Governor Newsom’s stay-at-home orders.

We publish a frightening warning of a leading rabbi regarding civil war in the USA and its pending destruction, as well as rising anti-Semitism in the USA.

We quote strong words from Fox-News anchor Tucker Carlson and Tesla Chief Elon Musk against the controversial undemocratic conduct of some US state governors; and we conclude with China’s role in the spread of the coronavirus.

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

Pope Pius XII Knew… but Kept Silent

The Times of Israel wrote on April 30:

“Researchers studying the newly opened Vatican archives of pope Pius XII have already found evidence that the World War II-era pope knew about the mass killing of Jews from his own sources but kept it from the US government… a German team lead by award-winning religious historian Hubert Wolf from the University of Münster… has already found some damning discoveries…

“Wolf [and] his team found documents that were excluded from the 11-volume work compiled by Jesuits on the Holocaust four decades ago, apparently to protect Pius and his image… In September 1942, [a] US diplomat gave the Vatican a secret report prepared by the Jewish Agency that documented the mass murder of some 100,000 Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. It also said some 50,000 Jews were killed in Lviv in German-occupied Ukraine.

“The US asked if the Vatican could confirm the report from its own sources among Catholics, but were told the Vatican could not. However… Wolf… and his team discovered a note confirming that Pius had read the American report and also two instances where the Vatican had independently corroborated the reports of the killings… ‘There is no doubt that the pope was aware of the murder of Jews,’ Wolf said.

“What really interests us is when he learned about it for the first time, and when he believed that information.’…

“On December 24, 1942, Pius XII delivered one of history’s most debated Christmas radio messages. Buried in its long text was a reference to ‘hundreds of thousands of people who, without any fault of their own and sometimes for the sole reason of their nationality or race, were doomed to death or gradual extermination.’ Was his message — delivered in Italian and aired just once, and which never explicitly mentioned either the Jews or Nazis — heard and understood by German Catholics? ‘The only ones who heard it were the Nazis,’ said Wolf, noting that the radio waves were scrambled and that the pope could have spoken German — if he had really wanted to reach the German faithful…”

The Catholic Church’s collaboration with the Nazis in Germany and Italy, as well as in other countries such as Austria and Spain, is without any doubt. Note the next article.

Confession of Guilt by German Bishops

Times of Israel wrote on May 2:

“In a new report after decades of ambivalence, Germany’s council of Catholic bishops has finally admitted to the church’s complicity in the actions of the Nazi regime during World War II, The Times reported Friday.  The 23-page document by the council reportedly states, ‘Inasmuch as the bishops did not oppose the war with a clear “no,” and most of them bolstered the [German nation’s] will to endure, they made themselves complicit in the war’…

“One Catholic Church official cited by The Times called the report a ‘confession of guilt’ by the church. The document said most German bishops, motivated by nationalism and anti-communist sentiment and a desire to preserve the church by avoiding confrontation with the Nazis, told their followers to support the regime during the war. On Hitler’s 50th birthday in 1939, churches flew Nazi flags and prayed for protection of the ‘Fuhrer and the Reich.’”

The question is, has the Catholic Church learned from its past “mistakes”? The Bible shows that it has not.

Pope Francis Assists Transgender Prostitutes

Fox News wrote on May 1:

“Pope Francis assisted a group of transgender prostitutes who were struggling financially… ‘At the height of the coronavirus emergency, a group of transsexuals, almost all Latin Americans, arrived in the church with amazement and wonder,’ Don Andrea Conocchia,  the parish priest of Torvaianica, not far from Rome, said…  ‘They asked for help because with the virus they no longer had customers on the street.’

“They reached out to the pope through Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, who is responsible for charitable work done in the name of [the] pope. ‘Francis’ response was immediate,’ the paper reports. ‘Many thanks to Pope Francis! May God bless you, thank you for everything! A thousand blessings! May the Virgin protect you!’ the group of prostitutes sent in an audio message.”

This is hard to believe! But in this God-defying world, everything goes.  

US and Canadian Bishops Seek Answers from the “Virgin Mary”

Vatican News wrote on April 29:

“On Friday, May 1, the bishops of Canada and the United States reconsecrated their respective nations to the care and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary… [the] ‘Mother of the Church’. ‘This will give the Church the occasion to pray for Our Lady’s continued protection of the vulnerable, healing of the unwell, and wisdom for those who work to cure this terrible virus,’ said Archbishop Gomez…

“Shortly after this announcement, the bishops of Italy announced that they would also be reconsecrating their country to the protection of the Virgin Mary…”

The real Mary, the mother of Jesus, is dead and in the grave, awaiting her resurrection from the dead at the time of Christ’s return. She never ascended to heaven and she is not ruling in heaven right now as the “queen of heaven.” Any prayers to her are useless. The same goes for prayers to any dead “saints”… note the next article.

Praying to Catherine of Siena and the Virgin Mary?

Vatican News reported on April 29:

“Following his catechesis at the General Audience, Pope Francis noted that today the Church celebrates the feast of St Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church and co-patron of Italy and of Europe. As he had done earlier at the daily Mass, he prayed to St Catherine for protection during the pandemic, and for the unity of Europe… ‘I ask St Catherine to protect Italy during this pandemic, and to protect Europe, because she is the Patroness of Europe; to protect the whole of Europe so that it may remain united’…

“Pope Francis then turned his attention to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Pope once again encouraged everyone to pray the Rosary, especially during the month of May…”

That these Catholic “saints” are perceived as being patrons and “protectors” of Europe is very remarkable.

Pope Benedict Attacks Opponents Who Want to Silence Him

AFP wrote on May 4:

“Traditionalist former pope Benedict XVI accuses opponents of wanting to ‘silence’ him while associating gay marriage with ‘the Antichrist’ and attacking ‘humanist ideologies’ in a new authorised biography published Monday in Germany.

“The 93-year-old, whose original name is Joseph Ratzinger, claims in ‘Benedict XVI – A Life’ that he has fallen victim to a ‘malignant distortion of reality’ in reactions to his interventions in theological debates…

“In office from 2005-13, Benedict has frequently been criticised for his attitudes to Islam or to social questions, and is accused of attempting to undermine the modernisation drive of his successor Pope Francis. Ratzinger attempts to counter such claims in the biography, saying his ‘personal friendship with Pope Francis has not only endured, but grown’…

“‘A century ago, anyone would have thought it absurd to talk about homosexual marriage. Today those who oppose it are excommunicated from society,’ Benedict says. ‘It’s the same thing with abortion and creating human life in the laboratory,’ he says, adding that it’s ‘only natural’ for people to ‘fear the spiritual power of the Antichrist’… ‘The real threat to the Church… is in the global dictatorship of purportedly humanist ideologies,’ he warns.”

Striking words.

Benedict: Freemasonry Greatest Enemy of the Church

Life Site News reported on May 4:

“Dr. Robert Moynihan, the editor-in-chief of the Catholic journal Inside the Vatican, revealed on April 23 that he once had a conversation with then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict XVI) about the ‘greatest danger to the Church,’ and he recounts that Ratzinger said: ‘It is Freemasonry.’… Bishop Schneider states that Freemasons were crucial in the promotion of abortion, same-sex ‘marriage,’ and euthanasia in France…

“Then-Cardinal Ratzinger was already in the 1980s so concerned about the nature and work of Freemasonry that he worked out a statement for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, whose Prefect he then was, which repeated the Church’s long-standing ban on Freemasonry. That is to say, he re-stated that Catholics may not be members of Freemasonry. On November 26, 1983, Ratzinger signed a document that stated, ‘Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.’”

The Deadly “Murder Hornet” Has Arrived in the USA

On May 2, DNYUZ wrote the following:

“In his decades of beekeeping, Ted McFall had never seen anything like it. As he pulled his truck up to check on a group of hives near Custer, Wash., in November, he could spot from the window a mess of bee carcasses on the ground. As he looked closer, he saw a pile of dead members of the colony in front of a hive and more carnage inside — thousands and thousands of bees with their heads torn from their bodies and no sign of a culprit… Only later did he come to suspect that the killer was what some researchers simply call the ‘murder hornet.’

“With queens that can grow to two inches long, Asian giant hornets can use mandibles shaped like spiked shark fins to wipe out a honeybee hive in a matter of hours, decapitating the bees and flying away with the thoraxes to feed their young. For larger targets, the hornet’s potent venom and stinger — long enough to puncture a beekeeping suit — make for an excruciating combination that victims have likened to hot metal driving into their skin… In Japan, the hornets kill up to 50 people a year. Now, for the first time, they have arrived in the United States.”

Another one of the many curses which God is inflicting on His disobedient people in the USA and also in the UK, as the next article shows.

Honeybees Being Wiped Out in Britain

The Sun wrote on May 2:

“HONEYBEES are being wiped out by a mystery disease that is sweeping Britain, researchers say… Infected bees die within a week. This leads to piles of dead insects just outside hives… Experts say it is being fuelled by importing queen bees from Europe. They head colonies and beekeepers use large numbers from France, Italy, the Netherlands and other countries across the world to replenish stocks.

“Now information from 130,000 bee imports from 25 countries show for the first time the disease was nearly twice as likely in apiaries owned by keepers who used them…”

Russian and American Robots to the Battlefield

Forbes wrote on April 30:

“For Russia, the question of robots taking over the role of soldiers on the battlefield is a matter of when, not if. ‘Living fighters will gradually begin to be replaced by their robotic “brothers” who can act faster, more accurately and more selectively than people,’ Vitaly Davydov told RIA Novosti on April 21…

“The development parallels many robotic programs under way in the United States. It is remarkable, too, that both nations have hit upon swarms of ground robots as a way to supplement existing human formations in combat. Russia plans to test swarms of ground robots later in 2020.”

Whatever it takes to kill more and more people! A terrible indictment against man’s hunger for murder.

World War III Distinct Possibility

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 4:

“… the conviction that the war was part of the European past, but not Europe’s future is fading too… Europeans aged between 18-24 are most likely to believe that a war between European nations is possible in the next 10-20 years… ‘Perhaps the reason we never learn from history,’ wrote the American poet Charles Simic, ‘is that we are incapable of picturing the reality of war and its aftermath…’

“It is well known that truth is the first casualty of war…”

Trade Agreement Between EU and Mexico

Vatican News reported on April 29:

“Mexico and the European Union have clinched a fresh and undated Free Trade Agreement…

“The EU confirms that from now on, almost all trade and goods between itself and Mexico will be entirely duty free.  Current annual business tops 75 billion dollars. The EU is Mexico’s third largest trading partner. Trade between them has more than tripled, since the original agreement was initialed, way back in 2001.”

The EU is a mighty economic power, as described in the Bible.

Ongoing Censorship of the Free Press Regarding Criticism of Coronavirus Measures

Deutsche Welle reported on May 1:

“The European Union on Saturday criticized restrictions on the media put in place by some countries during the coronavirus crisis… Rights group Reporters Without Borders also warned that many journalists around the world may be facing censorship or limited freedoms as the outbreak leads to restrictions on public life…

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, along with his counterparts in the UK, France and the Netherlands, released a statement on Saturday stressing the importance of journalistic independence in the coronavirus crisis…”

Facebook blocks and takes down posts critical of governmental stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures. The former President of Germany’s highest constitutional court warned that the German governmental restrictions might be unconstitutional.

In addition, “Germany’s highest legal authority, the constitutional court overturned a blanket ban on religious services during the coronavirus crisis, saying that exceptions could be granted if sufficient precautions were taken to avoid infection,” according to AFP, dated April 30. Also, the highest court of the German state of Saarland rendered a decision, questioning whether the stay-at-home orders are even effective, and ordering the state government to relax the restrictions, according to Bild, dated April 30. But YouTube and Facebook don’t seem to care… note the next article.

Suppressing Alternate Views

BBC News wrote on May 2:

“‘YouTube has clear policies prohibiting any content that disputes the existence and transmission of Covid-19 as described by the WHO and the NHS,’ a spokeswoman told the BBC…

“The tech firm [is] banning any material that: suggests coronavirus does not exist; contains medically unsubstantiated diagnostic advice about the virus; explicitly disputes the efficacy of guidance about social distancing and self-isolation that has been issued by the WHO and/or local health authorities…”

Censorship of this kind and the suppression of alternate views which are not “politically correct” are the hallmark of dictatorships and autocratic societies.

Self-Isolation at Home No Cure for the Virus?

CNBC wrote on May 6:

“Most new Covid-19 hospitalizations in New York state are from people who were staying home and not venturing much outside, a ‘shocking’ finding, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday… 

“It shows that 66% of new admissions were from people who had largely been sheltering at home. The next highest source of admissions was from nursing homes, 18%… ‘We thought maybe they were taking public transportation, and we’ve taken special precautions on public transportation, but actually no, because these people were literally at home.’”

So, how does this fit with the success and necessity of self-isolation?

Travel Bans Not to Be Lifted for a Long Time

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 29:

“The German Cabinet on Wednesday extended its strict global travel warning to limit the spread of the coronavirus and prevent German tourists once again becoming stranded overseas. Germany’s Foreign Ministry said that the measure should remain in place ‘until further notice,’ but at least until June 14.

“It did not specify whether travel will be allowed during the summer holidays, saying only that the situation should be carefully reviewed and coordinated with neighboring European Union member states prior to that date… The decision could mean leaving many holiday plans in limbo, with summer vacations beginning as early as the end of June in some of Germany’s 16 federal states.

“The Federal Foreign Office said that ‘severe and drastic restrictions in international air and travel traffic and worldwide entry restrictions, quarantine measures and restrictions on public life in many countries can still be expected.’”

USA Today added on May 4:

“U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin encouraged Americans to focus on domestic travel this year as the international travel outlook for the rest of 2020 remains uncertain…”

In this Satan-ruled world, only God can make it possible that His people will be able to keep the Feast of Tabernacles 2020 in certain areas designated by Him.

Green Light for Vaccine-Producing “Operation Warp Speed”

CNN wrote on May 1:

“President Donald Trump has essentially given ‘Operation Warp Speed’ a blank check as the team of government officials, scientists and private companies aims to produce hundreds of millions of doses of a life-saving coronavirus vaccine by early next year. The goal — which may prove impossible to meet — is to make 100 million doses of the vaccine available by November, 200 million doses by December and 300 million doses by January…

“The obvious hurdle is quickly developing a vaccine that is effective and safe. But ‘Operation Warp Speed’ is also working on all the challenges that surround vaccine deployment. They are already working on solutions to quickly ramp up production, organize distribution and determine who gets the first doses of the vaccine. ‘You don’t wait until you get an answer before you start manufacturing — you at risk proactively start making it, assuming it’s going to work, and if it does, then you can scale up and hopefully get to that timeline,’ Dr. Anthony Fauci… told NBC…

“The team is also brainstorming advertising strategies that the administration hopes will be compelling enough to inspire even vaccine skeptics to get a vaccine once it’s available…”

This is VERY FRIGHTENING indeed, also in light of the next article.

There Might Never Be a Vaccine against Coronavirus

CNN wrote on May 3:

“‘There are some viruses that we still do not have vaccines against,’ says Dr. David Nabarro, a professor of global health at Imperial College London, who also serves as a special envoy to the World Health Organization on Covid-19. ‘We can’t make an absolute assumption that a vaccine will appear at all, or if it does appear, whether it will pass all the tests of efficacy and safety…’ But even if a vaccine is developed, bringing it to fruition [within 18 months] would be a feat never achieved before…

‘In 1984, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Margaret Heckler announced at a press conference in Washington, DC, that scientists had successfully identified the virus that later became known as HIV — and predicted that a preventative vaccine would be ready for testing in two years. Nearly four decades and 32 million deaths later, the world is still waiting for an HIV vaccine…

“An effective vaccine for dengue fever, which infects as many as 400,000 people a year… has eluded doctors for decades. In 2017, a large-scale effort to find one was suspended after [it] was found to worsen the symptoms of the disease. Similarly, it’s been very difficult to develop vaccines for the common rhinoviruses and adenoviruses — which, like coronaviruses, can cause cold symptoms. There’s just one vaccine to prevent two strains of adenovirus, and it’s not commercially available…

“Restrictions are most likely to come back over the winter… And lockdowns, many of which are in the process of gradually being lifted, could return at any moment…”

The world in continued lockdown—people continuously under house arrest… a terrible perspective. And so, European governments and others around the world are trying to receive billions of dollars in donations for the development of a vaccine. One wonders to whom that money is really going.

German Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, stated on May 4, according to t-online, that the search for a vaccine could go on for years. At the same time, Spahn introduced legislation which would require quarantine for those who are sick with a contagious disease or who are suspicious of being sick unless they can present an “immunization passport” or an “immunity passport” (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, dated April 29). Critics in politics and the social media have noted the obvious violation of privacy and data protection laws.

Subsequently, due to public pressure, Spahn retracted and stated that there will not be an immunity passport and no mandatory vaccinations AT THIS POINT, according to Tagesschau, dated May 4. This “changed” position is clearly only “political” in nature, and one will have to wait and see as to when Spahn feels ready to “strike” again.

As we have stated before, we should watch Jens Spahn. He has introduced quite a few controversial laws, such as mandatory vaccinations of school children and prohibiting conversion therapies for homosexuals (Spahn is openly practicing homosexuality himself).

Partnership of Gates and Cuomo Under Attack

Syracuse.com reported on May 5:

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing criticism after announcing a plan with Bill Gates’ foundation to ‘reimagine’ schools… Cuomo also announced a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate possible changes to the education system…

“… at least five organizations have already spoken out against the partnership, citing concerns about the Microsoft founder’s support of standardized testing and Common Core curriculum. ‘Both the Gates Foundation and Andrew Cuomo have a history of pushing privatization and agendas that have the potential to destroy public schools,’ Alliance for Quality Education executive director Jasmine Gripper told the publication. ‘This collaboration raises a red flag…’

“… three groups — New York State Allies for Public Education, Class Size Matters, and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy — have already written to Cuomo and state education officials to voice their objections. ‘We were appalled to hear that you will be working with the Gates Foundation on “reimagining” our schools following the Covid crisis,’ the coalition wrote. ‘Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation have promoted one failed educational initiative after another, causing huge disaffection in districts throughout the state. ‘The education of our children has been repeatedly put at risk by their non-evidence based “solutions,” which were implemented without parent input and despite significant public opposition.’…”

The Dangers of the Pandemic Drone

ABC News wrote on May 1:

“If you don’t feel comfortable signing up to the Government’s COVIDSafe tracking app, then you probably won’t be happy to hear about the pandemic drone. [It] can pick up heart rate, body temperature and monitor social distancing. But the technology is also increasing concerns about privacy and data collection…

“The drone would also be able to detect a cough from ‘15-20 metres away’, while heart rate can be detected within 6-8 metres with only a ‘very small’ margin of error…

“Artificial intelligence expert Professor Toby Walsh urged a cautious approach towards adopting technologies like the pandemic drone…”

George Orwell’s big brother scenario in his bestseller “1984” is no longer science fiction at all.

Astronomical Unemployment Figures in the USA

The Independent wrote on May 2:

“Another 3.2 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance benefits at the end of April, adding to unprecedented jobless claims that have now topped more than 30 million within only a month following the outbreak.  [As of May 7, 33.5 million have filed for unemployment]. Economists say the numbers merely glimpse the scope of the unemployment crisis.

“… for every 10 people who successfully filed for unemployment over the last month, three to four others tried to apply but couldn’t get through the system, and another two people were unable to because the process was too difficult.”

This would mean, the unemployment rate stands at approximately 45 to 46 million. At the beginning of 2020, approximately 160 million were listed as being employed in the USA, and about 331 million live in the USA. No country can ever recover from such devastating figures, as its downfall continues. But it gets worse. Note the next articles.

Beef Prices at Record High

Newsmax wrote on May 1:

“U.S. shoppers are paying 13% more for T-bone steaks than last year, at $7.47 a pound. Ground chuck is up 28%…

“Donald Trump’s executive order will reopen meat plants struck down by outbreaks, but social-distancing measures will keep slaughterhouses limping along at reduced production rates. The shortfall in output could run as high as 15% even after plants are back in business…

“It only took a month to break the U.S. meat supply chain. Shutdowns at major slaughter plants started in early April… Grocery-store shelves have run empty, and farmers were forced to destroy tens of thousands of animals…

“Wholesale beef has jumped to a record high… It’s usually younger animals that are destroyed, since farmers haven’t spent money to feed and raise them yet…

“Beef jumped 11% in the two days to Thursday… For beef, that means ‘ridiculously tight supplies in September through December’…”

The terrible results of governmental restrictions on the economy and personal well-being have placed many people on edge, as the following articles show, by way of example, regarding the fragile situation in California.

Californians on Edge

The Associated Press wrote on May 2:

“Californians weary of stay-at-home orders that have left millions unemployed staged displays of defiance Friday, with hundreds of flag-waving protesters gathering at the Capitol… Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged the building anxiety…

“In downtown Huntington Beach, known for its world-renowned surf break, protesters swarmed the streets, backing up traffic for at least a mile along Pacific Coast Highway… People waved American flags from their car windows and carried signs reading ‘Open Cali now.’ A plane buzzed overhead with a sign reading ‘Fire gruesome Newsom! Open California.’

“While the beach was officially closed by Newsom’s order, people continued to walk on the sand and on a popular bike trail in a park overlooking the shoreline… a variety of businesses from restaurants to hairstylists in rural and more populated areas have opened their doors in individual acts of defiance.

“With its once-roaring economy in shackles and millions jobless, the state will face a funding shortfall that will run into billions of dollars… ‘At a time when California is granting early release to high-risk sex offenders and other dangerous inmates due to COVID-19 concerns, the implicit threat to punish beachgoers and surfers who violate the order is absurd,’ Republican state Sen. Patricia Bates said.”

Defying Newsom’s Orders

The Los Angeles Times wrote on May 3:

“Yuba and Sutter counties in Northern California are set to allow many businesses to reopen on Monday in defiance of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide six-week-old stay-at-home order.

“The two counties near the state’s capital would join a sparsely populated county in California’s northeastern corner, Modoc County, with fewer than 9,000 residents, that on Friday allowed all businesses, schools and churches to reopen as long as people inside can stay six feet apart.

“The move by Yuba and Sutter counties — with a combined population of 171,000 people… comes as other California counties on the Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley are demanding to reopen more businesses…

“Newsom’s stay-at-home order, issued March 19, was the first to be issued by any governor in the nation…”

Newsom Sued for Civil Rights Violations

ABC News wrote on May 1:

“Civil Rights Attorney Harmeet Dhillon says in the last couple of weeks she’s filed six lawsuits against the governor. Dhillon is an RNC Committeewoman for California. She previously served as the Vice-Chairman of the California Republican Party, and Chairman of the San Francisco Republican Party. ‘The governor is overreaching on a number of grounds,’ said Dhillon.

“In part the lawsuits center around protests. ‘The governor has chosen to limit protests to zero in this state which is outrageous and absurd,’ said Dhillon… Regarding the closure of houses of worship, Dhillon said, ‘Going to church to worship communally is a first amendment-protected activity and while it does not sustain the level of protection as protests, petitions, the press, other forms of speech, it is protected under the constitution and we believe it is unconstitutional for the governor to impose restrictions on worship that are broader than necessary to achieve the government’s interests.’…”

By the time these lawsuits are decided with finality, and even assuming they would find in favor of the plaintiff, constitutional violations are continuing.

Church Assemblies Remain Forbidden in California

The Associated Press wrote on May 5:

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. Newsom’s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease holding services, Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento.

“Pastor Jonathan Duncan had continued to assemble his congregation after the governor banned public gatherings in March despite warnings it was in violation of state and local orders. The church of fewer than 50 members said it was obeying federal guidelines to prevent spread of the virus. Lodi police entered the church during a service attended by about 30 worshipers in late March and said they were defying the governor’s order…

“Police posted a notice on the building that its nonessential use created a public nuisance… Police threatened to cite anyone who entered the property.

“Duncan said in a statement that he was disappointed with the ruling but would continue to fight for the right to worship. ‘It is time for pastors and religious leaders across the state to rise up and start pushing back against these draconian stay-at-home orders that completely fail to take into account the true essentiality of religion in our society,’ Duncan said…”

These kinds of actions and the court decision are indeed difficult to comprehend. Judge John Mendez is no stranger to controversy. Appointed by George W. Bush on September 6, 2007 to the federal bench, he ruled against President Trump’s request to block SB 54, allowing California to remain a sanctuary state (giving protection to dangerous illegal immigrants).

Mendez has also been accused of unethical conduct, pro-government bias and other misconduct allegations, according to issuu.com.

Forcing People from California Homes?

“Fox News reported on May 7:

“Video circulated on social media showed Dr. Robert Levin, the director of Ventura County Public Health, speaking before the board of supervisors Tuesday about a plan to hire up to 50 new ‘contact tracing investigators’ to ‘find people who have COVID-19 and immediately isolate them, find every one of their contacts, make sure they stay quarantined and check in with them every day.’

“Levin admitted his poor messaging during another press conference Wednesday, stressing those who test positive or who are identified by officials as having come in contact with an infected person would not be forcibly removed from their homes. ‘I either misspoke or it was misinterpreted – I’ll take the blame of having misspoke,’ Levin said. ‘Yesterday, at this conference, at the Board of Supervisors, I gave people the impression that if you were isolated, you would be taken out of your home and put into a hotel room or a motel room or sequestered in some other way.’

“‘If I did do that, I am very sorry,’ he said. ‘That is an option. That is possible…’

“Further explaining himself Wednesday, Levin said: ‘… We were going to increase by 10, 20, maybe 50 people to help us locate people and make sure they’re in quarantine or make sure they’re in isolation. If you have the illness and you stay in your own quarters or in your hospital room, that’s called isolation,’ he continued. ‘If you don’t have the illness, but you were exposed to someone who did, but we want to watch you for the period of incubation, where you might come down with the illness and might be contagious and give it to someone else, that’s called quarantine. We’re looking to not only isolate everyone, but we’re looking to quarantine the contacts of the isolates we have who have COVID disease…”

This does not sound like an apology or retraction to us.

Judge Agrees with Newsom on Beach Shutdown

NPR wrote on May 3:

“Two Orange County cities’ attempt to legally challenge California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s beach shutdown order failed for now, but the battle between local and state officials over the shoreline will continue. Huntington Beach, Dana Point and various local private businesses in Orange County requested a temporary restraining order in Orange County Superior Court on Friday that would have blocked Newsom’s executive beach closure order and kept beaches open in those cities…

“But Orange County Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott rejected the injunction, and beaches spanning the Orange County coastline were closed over the weekend and will continue to be. A hearing is scheduled for May 11… Tensions have risen to a boil…”

Orange County Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott was appointed by former [controversial Democrat] governor Jerry Brown. Scott, upholding for now left-wing Democrat governor Newsom’s order, earned a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1995. He then received a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1999. Scott has been a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County, the California Latino Judges Association, and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He is registered as a Democrat.

However, bowing to public demand, state officials announced Monday that Laguna Beach and San Clemente will be permitted to reopen their stretches of coastline this week — with certain limitations. Also, amid growing pressure to ease a stay-at-home order that has cratered the California economy, Newsom announced that the state will begin “reopening” this week, with some retail stores getting back to business as early as Friday, albeit with modifications. The legal battle regarding beach closure in California is not over. Note the next article.

Newsom Sued over “Unconstitutional” Beach Closure

KTLA 5 wrote on May 4:

“Former Newport Beach mayor and current councilman Kevin Muldoon filed a lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state leaders Monday, over the constitutionality of state-mandated closures of Orange County beaches… The lawsuit comes as two O.C. cities were granted permission to partially reopen their beaches… ‘The Governor’s actions appear to be based more on politics applied to one county in California, rather than sound scientific guidance, evidence, or regard for competing Constitutional concerns,’ Muldoon said in a written statement. ‘Freedom of movement and access to California beaches are fundamental rights, and unless total or broad interference with those can be proven by the government to be necessary and also related to fulfilling a compelling government interest, this interference is unconstitutional.’

“The lawsuit asks U.S. Attorney General William Barr to intervene in the battle against Newsom’s order to close down O.C. beaches, after Barr issued a memorandum on April 27, asking for state directives that could be violating the constitutional rights of citizens to be sent his way. Many O.C. officials also expressed criticism towards the governor’s order. O.C. Supervisor Michelle Steel called the governor’s actions ‘arbitrary’ and said it was an act of retribution against the county. Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta called it an ‘unconstitutional overreach.’ The Newport Beach City Council voted on May 2 to support legal action against the state, filed by the cities of Huntington Beach and Dana Point…”

Newsom is being sued all over the place. We will see what the outcome is going to be. But legal battles—with inhumane court decisions—are also being fought in other parts of the USA. Note the next article.

Owner in Texas Jailed for Keeping Her Hair Salon Opened

Breitbart wrote on April 25:

“Dallas officials issued a citation to the owner of a hair salon who re-opened her store [on a limited-service basis] in defiance of a stay-at-home order issued by the county judge…

“Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins (D) later sent a cease and desist letter to Shelley Luther, owner of the Salon Á la Mode hair salon, ordering her to close her business… The store had security guards in place to control access to the store and maintain social distancing…

“Luther is not alone in her rebellion against county stay-at-home orders. In Houston, the owner of the Federal American Grill… decided to re-open his restaurant on the city’s west side despite orders directing him to be closed… After he announced the re-opening of his restaurant for dining-in, customers flocked to his side… he is only seating up to 30 percent of his capacity in order to maintain social distancing.

“In contrast to Dallas, Houston law enforcement officials chose to not enforce the prohibition against in-house dining at the restaurant…”

Subsequently, Breitbart wrote on May 5:

“‘I have to disagree with you sir when you [say] that I’m selfish [for re-opening the salon],’ Salon Á la Mode owner Shelly Luther told Judge Eric Moyé [a Democrat] during a [civil and criminal] contempt of court proceeding broadcast on the internet… The judge told Shelley Luther she could avoid jail time if she apologized, admitted she was wrong, and agreed to close her hair salon until it was allowed to open…

“Luther told the judge, ‘I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they’d rather feed their kids. So, sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed then please go ahead with your decision but I am not going to shut the salon.’ Lucia reported that the judge ordered her jailed for seven days and fined $500 for every day the salon remains open. So far, the fine stands at $3,500.

“Luther’s attorney said he would appeal the judge’s ruling. The contempt hearing occurred at about the time Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that hair salons and gyms could re-open on Friday.”

Texas Governor Frees Jailed Citizens

DISRN wrote on May 7:

“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Thursday retroactively eliminating jail time for citizens who violate the state’s stay-at-home rules, freeing salon owner Shelley Luther who was jailed for seven days and fined $7,000 for reopening her business against court orders.

“Abbott specifically named Luther in his announcement: ‘Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen. That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order. This order is retroactive to April 2nd, supersedes local orders and if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther … As some county judges advocate for releasing hardened criminals from jail to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is absurd to have these business owners take their place.’

“Shortly after Abbott’s announcement, the Supreme Court of Texas ordered Luther’s release. The governor added that his order ‘may also ensure’ the release of Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata, who were arrested in Laredo, Texas, for providing cosmetic services inside their homes.”

Thank you, governor, for a sensible and merciful decision. 

U.S. Supreme Court Sides With Governor

CBS News wrote on May 7:

“The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to lift an executive order from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf that mandated the closure of all businesses in the state deemed nonessential as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus… There were no noted dissents. 

“The Pennsylvania businesses argued Wolf’s lockdown order was unconstitutional and filed an emergency request with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court arguing it went beyond Wolf’s authority. The state court, however, sided with Wolf and rejected the challenge. The businesses then asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the lower court’s decision.

“‘The executive order and similar orders by governors across the country is doing substantial, unprecedented damage to the economy,’ the group wrote in its request to the high court.”

Israel Rebukes the EU

The Times of Israel wrote on May 7:

“The Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned the European Union’s ambassador to Israel for an unusually harsh rebuke over the bloc’s alleged support of terrorism, warning him that backing terrorist groups will only lead to more bloodshed.

“Israel summoned envoy Emanuele Giaufret after a letter emerged Wednesday in which a senior EU official stationed in East Jerusalem assured the Palestinians that membership in or affinity to a terrorist organization does not automatically prevent a person from being eligible to participate in EU-funded programs.

“‘Israel utterly condemns and categorically objects to the Union’s policy on the funding of terrorist organisations. The policy essentially grants permission for incitement, support, and involvement with terrorism,’ the ministry said in a statement…”

The relationship between the EU and Israel will deteriorate drastically. 

Netanyahu Under Attack

Breaking Israel News reported on May 7:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set off quite a storm on Monday night following a press conference… That’s because during his speech, he alluded to the idea of installing distance sensors onto children that like a car, beep when they get too close to people…

“Popular Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak, who has thousands of followers in Israel… accused the Prime Minister of playing dumb regarding an already planned second wave saying: ‘Bibi, you pretend like you don’t know that it’s all planned – a second wave (of coronavirus) to force the vaccine.’ 

“Rabbi Yitzchak also notes that Netanyahu’s speech proves that the technology the Prime Minister spoke about already exists and that the Israeli government intends on using it. The rabbi also surmises that Netanyahu’s statement will translate into ‘microchips and sensors, to control the population and enslave them.’ Rabbi Yitzchak concludes that the plan is to force everyone to vaccinate and if they refuse, they will become criminals. The goal is to prepare the future generations for Bill Gate’s project. 

“‘Why is that when the flu, who killed a lot more people, did you never ensure that people didn’t prevent it from spreading?’ the Rabbi said…”

New Israeli Government Approved

Al Jazeera wrote on May 7:

“Israeli MPs have approved the formation of a unity government between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz, paving the way to an end to more than a year of deadlock… The proposed government was challenged in the Supreme Court, with opponents arguing Netanyahu was ineligible to rule due to a series of corruption indictments…

“But the court ruled on Wednesday evening that ‘there was no legal reason to prevent the formation of a government’ led by Netanyahu.”

Rabbi Tells Jews: Flee America Immediately!

Breaking Israel News wrote on April 9:

“[Brooklyn’s] Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Frankel… issued an unequivocal order last week for Jews in the diaspora to leave their homes and immigrate to Israel before a civil war breaks out in the United States…

“‘After World War II, the survivors came and asked why the Gedolim and the Rebbes (rabbis) did not order European Jews to leave while there was still time and emigrate to Israel or the United States before the war broke out,’ Rabbi Frankel [said.]. ‘Truth be told, they (the rabbis)… begged the Jews to flee the scorched earth, but part of the decree was that the Jews didn’t listen.’ ‘

“‘Today,’ he continued ‘Listen to me well, dear Jews, whoever can afford to rise and ascend to the Holy Land should [do so] as soon as possible, and this includes large parts of South America and most of Europe. The US will also become a dangerous place mired in war, and it is still too early to tell which US state will survive, but many parts will be destroyed and poisoned, and a civil war will break out within the US. And states will secede from the federal government. The US will no longer be a place of refuge, but there will be a Jewish remnant here. The Land of Israel will be the safest place to survive the war, even though there will be terrible difficulties there as well.’”

A mixture of truth and error. The USA will be defeated and destroyed in a coming World War, but so will be the state of Israel. There will be no place on earth which will be safe. It is true that violent anti-Semitism will raise its ugly head in Europe, but it is also spreading in the USA. Note the next article.

Singling out New York’s Jewish Community?

Breitbart wrote on April 29:

“New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told the media Wednesday morning that he was sorry if anyone was hurt by the way he called out the Jewish community over a large funeral in Brooklyn Tuesday, but he had ‘no regrets.’ De Blasio personally supervised police as they broke up a funeral procession for Rabbi Chaim Mertz of the Tola’as Yaakov synagogue in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn on Tuesday…

“De Blasio was outraged by the gathering, and singled out the ‘Jewish community’ in a series of tweets… Critics were outraged that the mayor singled out the ‘Jewish community’… Many also pointed out that De Blasio and the police did nothing when crowds gathered on Tuesday to watch the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform a flyover salute to first responders.

‘Some Jews are also particularly worried about the mayor’s remarks because extremist groups, at home and abroad, have used the coronavirus pandemic to scapegoat Jews… The false accusation of Jews spreading disease is at least as old as the Black Death in the fourteenth century.

“In addition, the mayor is widely perceived among religious Jews to have done very little to combat a scourge of recent antisemitic attacks in the city, many by members of other minority groups…”

It is well-known that there was much anti-Semitism in the USA prior to and during World War II.

Tucker Carlson Speaks Out Against Dictatorship in the USA

Fox News wrote on May 2:

“Tucker Carlson continued to criticize coronavirus-induced lockdowns across America Friday night, reacting to actions across the country by authorities he believes are overreaching their legal boundaries… [He noticed] an incident in Wisconsin where law enforcement was called on a family who allowed their daughter to play outside, with police saying they believed they had ‘the right’ to confront the mother. ‘The question is, where exactly did they get that right?’ Carlson asked.

“‘That’s a good question. A question that we are strongly discouraged from asking. The short answer is governors told them they could. Never in American history have politicians been more powerful than they are now. Effectively, they are gods. ‘In the state of Maine, for example, Governor Janet Mills now has the power to suspend any law she doesn’t like. She can seize any state resource she feels like seizing,’ Carlson continued. ‘She can force any citizen or all citizens from their home. She can do all of this for as long as she wants, as long as she believes Maine is in a state of emergency. In fact, there’s virtually nothing that Janet Mills can’t now do. Many governors now have these powers.’

“The host also voiced his concerns for the freedoms lost during this time, in particular the impact on religion and the media’s failure to report on it… Carlson also seemed to take a veiled shot at White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci… for his role in the pandemic response. ‘How […] did politicians get the authority to do this?’ Carlson said. ‘Because some elderly power-drunk epidemiologist told them to do it. That’s not how our system works. It can’t work that way.’”

Sadly, for now, it does work that way. If you think Tucker Carlson’s words were strong, note the outspoken words by controversial Tesla chief Elon Musk, as cited in the next article. We omitted certain expletives.

Tesla Chief Elon Musk Minces No Words

Business Insider wrote on April 29:

“In a short rant complete with expletives, Elon Musk doubled down on his stance against the shelter-in-place orders introduced by various US states in recent weeks in an effort to stop the novel coronavirus’ spread. The Tesla chief executive did not mince words on a Wednesday conference call… ‘Frankly, I would call it forcible imprisoning of people in their homes against all of, their constitutional rights, in my opinion,’ he said. ‘It’s breaking people’s freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong and not why they came to America or built this country…’… On Tuesday, he [urged] leaders to ‘FREE AMERICA NOW’…

“‘It will cause great harm, not just to Tesla but to many companies,’ Musk said on the call… ‘Everything people have worked for their whole life is being destroyed in real time.’ Musk even went so far as to call it undemocratic for state governments to order shutdowns of businesses deemed nonessential. ‘If somebody wants to stay in their house, that’s great and they should be able to,’ he said. ‘But to say they cannot leave their house and that they will be arrested if they do, that’s fascist. That is not democratic — this is not freedom…’”

Has China Lied about the Coronavirus from the Outset?

The Sun wrote on April 29:

“THE laboratory at the heart of the world’s coronavirus pandemic lied about taking safety precautions when collecting bat samples… US and British intelligence officials suspect bungling scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology accidentally spread the killer disease during risky coronavirus tests on bats. It was claimed that Covid-19 was ‘developed in the Wuhan lab as China hoped to prove it’s greater than the US at battling deadly diseases’

“… no safety precautions were employed. One worker admitted being sprayed with bat blood or urine as images showed staff brazenly collecting samples with no face masks or protective suits… Incredibly some scientists didn’t even wear gloves as they entered caves to collect fecal bat swab samples…

“The Chinese government has put a total lockdown on information related to the virus origins… genetic evidence indicates the virus was not artificially engineered and likely originated in bats. The genetic data cannot yet indicate exactly where and how the virus first crossed to humans… reports have also emerged alleging China attempted to cover up its role in the extent of the pandemic by silencing whistleblowers and muzzling scientists, while concerned doctors have ominously disappeared.”

The Guardian wrote on May 3:

“Most epidemiologists say that while it is possible the outbreak started in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where coronaviruses have been intensively studied, it is a far less likely scenario than the theory that it was transmitted naturally from bats through an intermediary animal, mutating along the way to become dangerous to humans.”

Why couldn’t it be a combination of the two scenarios, which appears to be much more compelling?

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

Even though we are very familiar with the concept of lengthy imprisonment, which is being considered as the normal and acceptable way to deal with those who broke the law or who are suspected of having broken it, we might be surprised to learn that this very concept of incarcerating human beings is not biblical at all.

In addition, even though the Bible does speak of quarantine and isolation for those who are suffering from a contagious disease, we will find that this concept is never applied for those who are not sick or who have not manifested any signs of sickness.

Instead, the Bible reveals that God will inflict lengthy imprisonment on wicked spirit beings… but not on humans. And we will discover that in most cases recorded in the Holy Scriptures, imprisonment has been imposed by the wicked rulers of this world on righteous and God-fearing people.

We should take note of the fact that first and foremost, it is the fate of Satan and his demons to be imprisoned or “isolated” so that they cannot deceive mankind anymore.

When Christ returns, He will lead captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8; Psalm 68:18), including Satan and his demons who hold mankind in captivity. They will themselves become captives, and that quite literally. We read in Revelation 20:1-3:

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished…”

When the Millennium is drawing to a close, Satan will be released from his prison of the bottomless pit for a short time (compare verses 7-9), but following that, we read in Revelation 20:10:

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet [had been cast]. And they [Satan and his demons, compare Matthew 25:41] will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

When the all-encompassing fire has burned up and destroyed everything that is physical (2 Peter 3:10), Satan and his demons will be released from their prison of the lake of fire and brimstone to become “wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 13).

But even before they are going to be imprisoned in a quite literal sense, they had already been imprisoned all along in a spiritual way, in that they have been captives of their own evil thoughts and desires. We read in Jude 6:

“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting [spiritual] chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day…”

Likewise, in 2 Peter 2:4: “… God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell [“tartarus,” a condition and not a place] and delivered them into [spiritual] chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment…”

In 1 Peter 3:19 we are told that at the time of Noah, Christ “went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared…”

Satan and his demons were not and are not today in a literal prison, as they are still ruling this world as wicked spirits in high places and as they are roaming the earth back and forth, like roaring lions, to see whom they can devour, but their imprisonment is spiritual. And so, they have captured and held captive human beings spiritually (2 Timothy 2:26), and with their twisted and abominable minds, they also want to imprison them literally, and especially those who belong to God.

God has some harsh words about the coming ruler in Europe—the beast—who will stand accused of not opening the doors of his prisoners (Isaiah 14:16-17).

We read Christ’s message to His Church in Smyrna, in Revelation 2:10: “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

In this evil world ruled by Satan the Devil, God’s true servants might end up in prison for the sake of righteousness. In some cases, God supernaturally intervened to free them from prison, as it occurred in regard to Christ’s apostles (Acts 5:17-42). Later, God intervened in the case of Peter when an angel freed him from incarceration (Acts 12:3-11). Still later, God intervened in the case of Paul and Silas when through an earthquake, all the doors of the prison were opened and the chains were loosed with which Paul and Silas were chained (Acts 16:24-26).

At other times, God’s people were imprisoned, and God did not miraculously intervene to free them, at least not immediately. Paul was imprisoned several times for extended periods by God’s enemies (2 Corinthians 11:23), as he himself, before his conversion, would persecute true Christians and imprison them (Acts 22:4; 26:10). But as he had been Satan’s prisoner to do his will, he became, after his conversion, a prisoner of Christ—he became a literal prisoner because of righteousness, but more importantly, a spiritual prisoner of Christ who had purchased and bought him with His own blood (Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:8; Philemon 1:9).

We read that Joseph was imprisoned in Egypt because he acted righteously and refused to commit adultery; Jeremiah was imprisoned by evil leaders (Jeremiah 37:21), and so was John the Baptist by wicked King Herod.

Christ prophesied that the rulers of this world would imprison His people (Luke 21:12), and Paul would later say that these were the saints of whom the world was not worthy (Hebrews 11:36, 38). Christ emphasized mercy and compassion for our brethren who might be imprisoned (Matthew 25:36). We might also note Psalm 69:33; 79:11; 102:19-20; and 142:7.

God never intended that people would be imprisoned for an extended period of time, even though Christ recognized that in this evil world, prisons were in existence, and He used this fact to drive home a spiritual lesson (Luke 12:57-59).

God allowed only some temporary confinement until a decision could be reached (Leviticus 24:10-12; Numbers 15:32-36). This procedure of temporary custody was also, to an extent, applied in New Testament times by the self-righteous priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees (Acts 4:1-3), except in Christ’s case when this procedure was violated and His “conviction” was rushed through (Isaiah 53:8) to be murdered by the government in violation of the Jewish laws, let alone the Law of God.

We should take note of the fact that Jesus will come to free people from physical and spiritual imprisonment (Isaiah 42:6-7; 49:8-9; 61:1).

Satan knows that he will be imprisoned for his terrible deeds. He wants mankind to suffer the same fate that he will experience, and so he has inspired man to create a system advocating and endorsing imprisonment, which, rightly understood, is cruel and inhumane. This is especially true when it affects people who are innocent. The very concept of placing people of a different ethnic background or race in detention or concentration camps, just because of their heritage, is of Satanic and ungodly origin, and no attempt to justify these ungodly actions can make them godly.

But even if guilty, lengthy imprisonment of violators was never God’s intent. Rather, the Old Testament speaks of monetary restitution or, in capital cases, the death penalty, but the testimony of at least two or three witnesses was required to establish and confirm the crime leading to conviction before any punishment could be rendered. In Christ’s case, that requirement was violated as well.

This brings us to the issue of “self-isolation” and quarantine for people who are sick and for those who are not sick or who are not showing any symptoms of being sick.

The Bible contains provisions for quarantine regarding those who suffer from contagious diseases so that they cannot infect others. The idea to place someone into quarantine to protect him or her from others who might be sick is just turning the biblical commands on their head, by quarantining the sick together with the healthy.

We wrote the following in our Q&A on quarantine:

“The Bible has much to say about quarantine and leprosy which was highly contagious… However, the same principles apply about colds, flu, sore throats and other infectious and contagious diseases which can equally and easily be spread – thus inconveniencing and causing problems to others.”

After quoting passages such as Leviticus 13:4, 45-46 and Luke 17:12, we said that the two lepers in that last passage “stood afar off. They weren’t mixing with everyone else. It was taken for granted, and expected, that they would keep themselves to themselves because of their unfortunate physical condition.”

We continued to say:

“If we take this seriously, we will not want to pass on any contagious sickness or disease to anyone else. We must remember that there are those who may have lower resistance to infection than others. So, by not going to [Church] services when one is suffering from an ‘infectious or contagious’ sickness is not the same as ‘forsaking the assembling of ourselves together’ (Hebrews 10:25) – but having love and concern for the rest of the brethren…

“Of course, there may be times when we are incubating a problem that we do not realize is about to happen… But if we know that we’re feeling less than well and that a cold, flu or some other problem is coming on, then we should just not attend services. We need to use a good deal of wisdom in this area.”

As we pointed out above, the biblical principle of quarantine applies to persons who ARE sick. THEY are to stay in isolation as long as they are suffering from their contagious sickness so as not to infect others. The idea that an entire city, county, country or the entire world must be locked up and that everyone needs to stay in isolation or in house arrest—whether sick or not—is just a Satanic perversion of God’s holy law of quarantine.

This IS Satan’s world, and Satan, the god of this present evil age and the prince of darkness, has deceived the whole world. He is bombarding man constantly with his ungodly ideas, and far too many have become an easy prey for his deceitful devices. But this must not be true for God’s people who are called upon to stand up for what is true and just, while rejecting everything which is evil and wrong.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

A Tech Team meeting was conducted on Sunday, May 3, 2020, via SKYPE. Hosted by Eric Rank, discussions regarding prayer request procedures and the Church’s homepage layout were conducted; and several assignments for future work were made.

A new video, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” has been produced by Michael Link—in both English and German.

Our newest booklet, “Obeying God Rather Than Man,” has been sent to graphic artist, Shelly Bruno, in preparation for printing. We expect to have this new booklet, written by Norbert Link, sent to the printer next week and published and posted to our website very soon. Translations of the booklet into German, Spanish and French have already begun. 

“Will We Lose our Freedoms Forever?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The Roman Catholic Church did not stand up to the Nazis during World War II, which has now been admitted by Germany’s Council of Catholic bishops in a “confession of guilt.” Today, our freedoms are once again threatened, including in the USA. Have we learned from history, or are we repeating the same mistakes by being silent in the face of adversity and danger? This program cites many troublesome examples and includes a frightening warning. It ends with an important announcement which you should not miss.

“Gott warnt uns und gibt uns zugleich Hoffnung!” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “God Warns Us and at the Same Time Gives Us Hope!”

“Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin” https://www.ewigengottes.de/2020/05/02/mene-mene-tekel-upharsin/ is the title of the German sermonette given last week by Johann Schell. 

“Who to Trust?” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We have to be careful where we put our trust.  The Bible gives us many examples where we should not put our complete trust and confidence.   In contrast, we should always put our complete trust in our creator – God the Father, no matter what situation we find ourselves in.

“The Precious Blood of Jesus Christ” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Why did Jesus Christ die and shed His blood for us? Was there no other way to carry out God’s Plan? What did His death accomplish for us? Since when was it established that Christ would give His life for us? Are we truly thankful for His priceless Sacrifice, and do we show our thankfulness in our daily lives?