Merkel New German Chancellor

On Tuesday, November 22, 2005, East German Angela Merkel was elected and sworn in as the first German female chancellor. The national and international reactions were mixed:

AFP (“Agence France Presse”) reported: “Angela Merkel made history when she was elected German chancellor, becoming the first woman, the first from the former communist east and the youngest person to lead Europe’s biggest economy. She received an overwhelming majority — 397 of the 611 valid ballots — in a vote in the Bundestag lower house of parliament.” The paper described Merkel, a trained physician, as the “self-effacing pastor’s daughter who lacks the charisma and occasional flamboyance of her predecessor Schroeder… She has undergone an astounding transformation since serving in the cabinet of her mentor Helmut Kohl, who gave her the affectionate but condescending nickname ‘the girl’ [‘das Maedchen’]. Merkel rocketed to the top of the party in 2000 after publicly calling for Kohl’s ouster — a brazen move that made her several powerful enemies.”

The Associated Press added:

“Angela Merkel was elected Tuesday as Germany’s first female chancellor, taking power at the helm of an unwieldy alliance of the right and left that now officially has the job of turning around Europe’s biggest economy… Merkel will need all the help she can get as her government, made up of politicians who until a few weeks ago were partisan opponents, tackles chronically high unemployment, currently at 11 percent, and lagging economic growth.”

Der Spiegel Online published the following insightful comments:

“Angela Merkel made history on Tuesday, as the German parliament elected her as the country’s first-ever female chancellor. But she will need plenty of determination and a healthy dose of passion if she is to make her government a success… On paper, Germany’s two largest political camps will have a commanding majority in the lower house, the Bundestag. But Tuesday’s vote tells another story. Merkel received 397 votes — 51 fewer than what CDU/CSU and SPD have in total. Granted, that far surpasses the parliamentary working majority of 308, but it could augur ill for Merkel’s efforts to pursue tough yet necessary reforms in the future… Unlike her congenial predecessor Gerhard Schröder, she finds it difficult to connect to people… The response to her proposed program of tax hikes and spending cuts has been muted, to say the least. And unless she can convince her fellow Germans that such sacrifices will lead the country to better days, there is the real danger the steps the government is considering could do as much harm as good.

“Anyone who has spent time in Germany recently is aware the country is deeply mired in a CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE. Germans are almost pathologically PESSIMISTIC about their future prospects and they frequently UNDERESTIMATE THE GROWTH POTENTIAL of the world’s third-largest economy.”

AFP reported on November 23, 2005, about Merkel’s first official visit with a foreign government since her appointment as German chancellor:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel took her bow on the international stage in Paris where she and President Jacques Chirac underscored the Franco-German alliance at the heart of the European Union. Merkel, who took office Tuesday, made France her first foreign destination as leader of Europe’s biggest economy in a gesture seen as affirmation of the strength of their partnership. ‘This is not about ritual, it is about a deep conviction that a strong relationship between Germany and France is both necessary and beneficial for Europe,’ Merkel [said]… Chirac said the two nations were united in their wish for ‘a political and social Europe’ and that ‘a truly strong Franco-German axis’ was necessary for the 25-member European Union. Calling their countries’ reconciliation following World War II a ‘miracle’ of history, Merkel said the ‘relationship must be nurtured, must continue to develop, must remain full of life.’… ‘I believe the challenges of globalisation force us to act together in Europe: Germany and France, with their notions about the social market economy, about globalisation, should be driving forces, ‘she said… In Paris, she stressed that France and Germany had a ‘shared duty’ to help development of the new EU states of central and eastern Europe… Merkel said she wished to keep up the rhythm of Franco-German meetings developed under her Social Democrat predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder, and invited Chirac to visit Berlin in early December.”

Farewell to Schroeder

On November 13, 2005, The LA Times published a piece on Gerhard Schroeder, former German chancellor, who left office after seven years of leadership. The article pointed out:

“Schroeder… restored Germans’ confidence in their country’s handling of world affairs, most notably through his vigorous opposition to the Iraq war… In 2002, down in the polls by almost 20 percentage points, he led the Social Democrats to a startling reelection victory against the Christian Democrats. The turnaround was credited to Schroeder’s shrewd exploitation of German opposition to the Iraq war, and his everyman ability to connect with and provide assistance for families who lost homes in a spate of summer floods… The son of a cleaning woman widowed by the war, Schroeder grew up a poor outsider in Lower Saxony… many Germans empathized with him when he visited Romania in 2004 and paused at the grave of a German soldier he never met: his father… In one of its most passionate debates in decades, Parliament in 1999 voted to send peacekeeping troops to Kosovo. The decision broke the post-World War II psychological barrier against dispatching German troops to other countries. Schroeder argued that Germany had to accept its responsibility in a new Europe. The chancellor agreed to send soldiers to help U.S. forces in Afghanistan, but Schroeder’s refusal to deploy German troops to Iraq revealed Berlin’s evolving independent streak. ‘During my leadership, Germany won’t take part in any attack on Iraq,’ Schroeder said. The policy damaged relations with the Bush administration and reminded both countries that Cold War alliances were being recalibrated…

“Germany under Schroeder became a ‘counterpoint to U.S. politics in the last three or four years,’ said Lothar Probst, a political analyst at Bremen University. ‘People in Europe said he was courageous.’… Schroeder also irritated Washington with his friendship with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, who helped him and his fourth wife, Doris Schroeder-Koepf, adopt a Russian child in 2004. Schroeder was often criticized in the German media for not condemning Moscow’s harsh military action in Chechnya. His warm relationship with Putin and strained one with Bush ‘was one of the weaker points of his chancellorship,’ Probst said.”

Baptist Father Jailed in Germany

Bild Online reported on November 18, 2005, that in Paderborn, West Germany, a 42-year-old father was sentenced to 10 days in jail, for refusing to send his child to school. The father is a Baptist and opposed to some of the teachings in German public schools, including courses on sex and evolution. In Germany, school attendance is mandatory, and home schooling is not considered a viable alternative.

Dangerous Chemicals

On November 17, 2005, Der Spiegel published a remarkable article, asking the question: “Are Your Cosmetics Killing You?” The article explained:

“The European chemical industry uses about 100,000 substances to produce such beneficial consumer products as rubber ducks, insulation material, emulsion paints and night creams. But the astonishing thing is that most of these everyday chemicals, though in use for decades, have never been or have only been insufficiently tested for their potential toxicity… In truth, Europe has been criminally negligent in addressing the problem of existing chemicals. Meanwhile, consumers are rubbing chemicals into their armpits and washing their underwear with substances whose long-term effects are often unknown.

“For example, many cosmetics contain the preservative imidurea, which is suspected of causing genetic damage. Under current law, dyes used in clothing are not required to be tested for adverse effects on the skin, even though some are said to cause allergies… Last year, 40 members of the EU Parliament were able to experience first-hand just how urgent the problem of existing chemicals is. In a study commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature, researchers found a cocktail of 76 different synthetic substances when they analyzed the politicians’ blood samples. Their arteries, it turned out, were conduits for the residues of brominated flame retardants, softening agents, fluorine chemicals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)… [which is] considered carcinogenic…”

European Nationalist Parties Unite

On November 18, 2005, canadafreepress.com reported that “Nationalist parties from seven European countries convened in Vienna last weekend to join forces. The ‘patriotic and nationalist parties and movements’ signed a so-called ‘Vienna Declaration’ calling for a stop to immigration in the entire European Union and the defence of Europe against ‘terrorism, aggressive islamism, superpower imperialism and economic aggression by low-wage countries.’ The parties also reject the European Constitution and demand that ‘geographically, culturally, religiously and ethnically non-European territories in Asia and Africa’ will be excluded from joining the European Union… The participants were invited by the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) and included Jean-Marie Le Pen’s Front National from France, Alessandra Mussolini’s Azione Sociale from Italy, the Spanish Alternativa Española, the anti-Hungarian Great Romania Party, the openly anti-Semite Bulgarian party Ataka, and Belgium’s largest party, the Vlaams Belang. The Italian Lega Nord, the Danish People’s Party and Poland’s governing Law and Justice were not present but are said to have sent their greetings… Up till now the animosity between Jean-Marie Le Pen and FPÖ leader Jörg Haider had made international cooperation impossible. Le Pen and Haider each regarded themselves as the leading figure of the European nationalist right. Last April, however, the FPÖ split and Haider founded a new party, the BZÖ. With Le Pen growing older, Filip Dewinter, the charismatic strongman of the Vlaams Belang (VB), is generally seen as the new man to lead the European nationalist right.”

However, one should not rule out Joerg Haider too quickly. Recently, he made some headlines in the press, demanding that the religious affiliation of religious schoolteachers, as well as their teaching, are to be approved by the Austrian government, as the government is employing and paying them; and he has made new overtures for running in the next 2006 government election.

Sharon’s New Party

On November 21, 2205, der Spiegel Online published an article about “Sharon’s New Party.” The magazine wrote:

“Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s decision to leave the Likud Party in order to set up his own party [for new elections expected in March] has shattered Israel’s political landscape. The divisions in his old party are mirrored in Israel’s deeply conflicted society… Israeli commentators weren’t shy about how they described Sharon’s move: Army Radio said ‘Sharon dropped a bomb’ that would cause a ‘political earthquake.’ The newspaper Maariv went even further, labeling it a ‘political big bang.’… The divided nation–those who oppose making concessions to the Palestinians against those willing to sacrifice land for peace–has helped to reshape the country’s politics… Without Sharon at the helm, Likud is widely expected to lurch to the right. Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu–a fierce opponent of the Gaza withdrawal–is expected to have the best shot at taking over the remaining rump of the party… Following Sharon’s announcement, Israel’s parliament decided in a preliminary vote on Monday to dissolve itself.” Subsequently, Israel’s president dissolved the parliament and determined March 28 as the day for new elections

President Bush Under Attack

On November 22, 2005, the British “Daily Mirror” published a highly controversial article about an alleged personal conversation, in April of 2004, between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair about an alleged contemplated bombing of an Arab TV station. The tabloid stated: “President Bush planned to bomb Arab TV station al-Jazeera in friendly Qatar, a ‘Top Secret’ No 10 memo reveals. But he was talked out of it at a White House summit by Tony Blair, who said it would provoke a worldwide backlash… The attack would have led to a massacre of innocents on the territory of a key ally, enraged the Middle East and almost certainly have sparked bloody retaliation… Yesterday former Labour Defence Minister Peter Kilfoyle challenged Downing Street to publish the five-page transcript of the two leaders’ conversation. He said: ‘It’s frightening to think that such a powerful man as Bush can propose such cavalier actions.'”

The tabloid which has been highly critical of Iraq’s invasion from the outset, added the following highly charged remarks: “The No 10 memo now raises fresh doubts over US claims that previous attacks against al-Jazeera staff were military errors. In 2001 the station’s Kabul office was knocked out by two ‘smart’ bombs. In 2003, al-Jazeera reporter Tareq Ayyoub was killed in a US missile strike on the station’s Baghdad centre.”

The European and American press, including Der Spiegel, The Associated Press, AFP, the Austrian Network, and The Washington Post, have quoted extensively from the Daily Mirror’s article. According to AP and AFP, the official governmental reaction to the article was indecisive. AFP stated on November 22: “A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘We have got nothing to say about this story. We don’t comment on leaked documents.’ And The Associated Press added, on November 22: “‘We are not interested in dignifying something so outlandish and inconceivable with a response,’ White House spokesman Scott McClellan told The Associated Press in an e-mail.”

On November 23, the British “The Times” reported about an unprecedented development in Britain: “Newspapers editors were threatened with prosecution under the Official Secrets Act last night if they published details of a conversation between Tony Blair and George Bush in which the President is alleged to have suggested bombing al-Jazeera, the Arab news network. Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney-General, informed newspapers editors including that of The Times that ‘publication of a document that has been unlawfully disclosed by a Crown servant could be in breach of Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act’… Charges under the Official Secrets Act have to be approved by the Attorney-General. His involvement suggests the prosecution intends to hold part, if not all, of the trial, behind closed doors.”

Germany In Turmoil

It may seem to many Americans that everything in Germany is getting back to normal: The German party delegates of CDU/CSU and SPD overwhelmingly approved the grand coalition pact. Almost 95% of the SPD voted for pacifist East German Matthias Platzeck, a 51-year-old ally of outgoing chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, succeeding Franz Muentefering as SPD party chairman. The confirmation of East German Angela Merkel as new German chancellor–the first female leader in Germany’s history–is virtually assured.

Still, dark clouds can be seen on Germany’s horizon, when one observes carefully what is happening. Most of the U.S. press does not portray, however, an accurate picture of the real dangers. Their reporting is one of cautious optimism–especially in regard to a hoped-for friendlier relationship between the Bush and the Merkel administrations. The German press paints quite a different picture.

AFP somewhat accurately described German sentiments in its article of November 12, 2005:

“There is little optimism at the coalition pact, either from the press or industry leaders. ‘The coalition deal is a declaration of bankruptcy,’ the top-selling Bild newspaper said. An editorial said taxpayers were being made to pay for the mistakes of successive governments. ‘The two big parties which, in doing nothing to tackle the situation in recent decades, have brought the country to the point of bankruptcy, are making us, the people, pay for their mistakes.’ The centre-left Berliner Zeitung newspaper labelled the agreement ‘a big disappointment’ and said it offered few long-term solutions. ‘It is hoped that this coalition pact will only be temporary and that this government realises once it takes office that the agreement cannot last for long,’ it added.”

At present, there is not much hope for such reconsideration. Angela Merkel proclaimed that Germany will have to be governed according to the coalition pact. She said that raising taxes was an “honest” way to deal with Germany’s problems–even though she had promised the German people during her election campaign that she would not raise taxes.

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 14, 2005:

“After some seven weeks of wrangling, Germany’s two biggest parties finally agreed on a governing coalition last Friday. Nobody seems terribly impressed with the outcome and criticism has come quickly–and loudly. And if the mass-circulation tabloid Bild is any indication, then there is nowhere to go but up in the popularity contest. Already on Saturday, the paper started what looks to be an all-out smear campaign against the new coalition. ‘This Is How Expensive it Will Be for You!’ screamed the weekend headline, referring to the tax hikes and tax-loophole closures agreed to by the SPD and CDU. On Monday, the paper continued with the headline, ‘Grand Coalition Is Telling Everyone to Pay Up: Only the Politicians Are Sacrificing Nothing!’… [The] Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung [wrote:] ‘No one can be satisfied with this coalition treaty…'”

Der Spiegel continued: “The conservative daily Die Welt… has no time for patience and slams the new government before it has even taken office. Calling the CDU-SPD coalition the ‘united social democrats,’ the paper calls the agreement ‘devastating.’ ‘More state, higher tax burden, strangling of the economy in the name of “courage and humanity”: that is the core of this government program. It will stimulate the black economy and tax flight and will drive even more companies out of Germany.'”In an accompanying article, Der Spiegel wrote:

“Cowards, liars, short-sighted opportunists, and — well — pimps. Those are the linguistic darts currently being thrown in the direction of Angela Merkel’s coalition government… Financial Times Deutschland says the government’s plans are causing outrage across the country. ‘A handful of politicians are sitting together in Berlin and devastating Germany,’ writes the paper in an editorial next to a cartoon showing an unhappy German left with nothing but his vest and underpants after his empty-pocketed trousers have been taken away from him. Not a single member of the negotiating teams has come up with any proposals that could be termed forward-looking or confidence inspiring, the paper says. ‘What’s happening in Berlin is an attack on democracy.’ Ordinary Germans are losing faith in the parliamentary system, it warns darkly. ‘The makers of the grand coalition are reducing the state to the function of a grand pimp that doesn’t give a hoot about rationality, promises or the future — and which appears to be primarily focused on looking after itself.’… Business daily Handelsblatt says the last few weeks have made clear that Merkel will fail to create the ‘coalition of new possibilities’ she had promised in the wake of the post-election chaos. ‘The state is restructuring its finances — but it’s doing so at the expense of its citizens,’ writes the paper.”

The Economist wrote on November 15: “Almost two months after Germany’s inconclusive election, the proposed ‘grand coalition’, with Angela Merkel as chancellor, has been approved by the country’s three main parties. But their agreed programme of government is an awkward compromise and may do little to revive Europe’s largest economy.”

The Independent added on November 14:

“Germany’s chancellor-designate, Angela Merkel, faced a barrage of criticism over her future government’s economic reforms yesterday, prompting speculation that her grand coalition with the Social Democrats would not last its four-year term.”

On November 15, 2005, Der Spiegel Online wrote the following about Merkel’s anticipated foreign politics:

“… hopes of a big shift in German foreign policy [between USA and Germany] are likely to go unfulfilled. Changes will likely be more in style rather than substance… at present, it’s hard to tell what her foreign policy will look like because she has been forced to share power with Schröder’s Social Democrats to form a government… Merkel’s desire to please Bush is far from limitless. She has already ruled out sending German troops to Iraq because it would cause a public outcry in Germany… Merkel in any case has far too much on her domestic plate to devote a lot of time to foreign policy…”

On November 11, 2005, the EUobserver added this thought: “The new German government plans to use its 2007 presidency of the EU to revive the ratification of the EU constitution… the CDU-SPD government will support the continuing ratification of the treaty by member states, and will strengthen the process more directly when it takes over the helm of the EU in January 2007, the parties proclaimed. ‘We pledge to continue the ratification of the European constitutional treaty after the first half of 2006 and to give new impulses to [the ratification] under the German presidency in the first half of 2007,’ the [grand coalition pact] reads.”

Keep your eyes on the developments in Germany, which is destined, according to Biblical prophecy, to become the most influential European country in the near future.

USA and Human Rights

Der Spiegel Online published the following article this week:

“Inside the Pentagon, officials are arguing with Vice President Dick Cheney about a new set of US Defense Department guidelines for interrogating suspected terrorists. The debate over an anti-torture bill [introduced by McCain] is a sad moment for a country that once stood for human rights…

“How did we get to this point? Because the United States is bound by the Geneva Convention governing prisoners of war, and by the 1987 Convention Against Torture with its prohibitions against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, McCain’s legislation should not even be necessary. But after 9/11, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (at that time White House counsel to the president) and others gave their legal opinion that prohibitions on ‘cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment’ didn’t apply to noncitizens being held by the United States outside the United States. Then, because torture, even outside the United States, remains a crime, they redefined ‘torture’ so narrowly that almost all violent and coercive methods of interrogation were excluded. Then, because of the U.S. criminal statute making violations of the Geneva Conventions a crime, they insisted that the conventions did not apply to anyone they termed a suspected al-Qaida member….

“Human rights activists around the world who live under repressive regimes have long looked to this country for leadership; [the U.S.] government, flawed as it is, has launched crusades against human rights abusers abroad and helped prevent terrible suffering by demanding that torture stop. Now we are facing a new world: one in which the most powerful country on the planet publicly declares itself above the laws that have protected individuals everywhere from disappearance, torture and murder. It is a sad and dark moment…”

Open Letter by ABA

On November 15, 2005, Michael Greco, President of the American Bar Association (ABA), published the following open letter:

“The U.S. Senate last week adopted with no hearings and with little debate Senator Lindsey Graham’s proposal to eliminate habeas corpus rights for Guantanamo detainees, denying them access to federal courts. The American Bar Association urges the senators to reconsider and defeat that enormous change to our fundamental legal system.
“Throughout our nation’s history, starting with the defense by lawyer, later president, John Adams of Massachusetts, of the British soldiers who fired on patriots in the Boston Massacre, it has been our commitment to basic principles of justice, even for the most unpopular among us, that has allowed us to maintain the high moral ground in the world, the most strategically important territory for us to occupy as we struggle with the enemies of freedom.

“Our influence in the world is directly affected by our actions with respect to those we detain. The prisoners in Guantanamo have been held there, largely incommunicado, for four years. That fact alone offends our heritage of due process and fairness. The writ of habeas corpus was developed precisely to prevent the prolonged detention of individuals without charge, by allowing those held to petition the federal courts. To eliminate the right of habeas corpus would be shocking to our nation.

“As Senator Graham himself has stated repeatedly, in the battle against terrorism we cannot allow ourselves to become like the enemy. Adoption of his amendment would undermine the very principles that distinguish us from our enemies.

“Michael S. Greco
ABA President”

Man’s Solutions–Laughable!!!

From time to time, we refer to articles reporting about futile human attempts to solve their problems. To give another example, NewScientist published a revealing article on November 9, 2005, about tackling the dangers from asteroids: “NASA scientists have come up with a surprisingly simple yet effective way to deflect an Earth-bound asteroid–park a large spacecraft close by and let gravity do the work.”

This proposal was hailed by scientists as the “best idea” that they have seen. Sounds great. Sounds easy. Sounds as good as done. If it were not for some “minor” problems…

The article pointed out:

“For a 200-metre-wide asteroid, the spacecraft would need to weigh about 20 tonnes and lurk 50 metres from its target for about a year to change its velocity enough to knock it off course… The strategy crucially relies on our ability to detect an asteroid threat about 20 years in advance. For larger asteroids this is realistic. But… many smaller asteroids–less than about 500 metres across–may go unnoticed until only a few years before impact.”

Man’s “best idea” is nothing but ridiculous. And if that is all man can come up with…

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town…Again!

Even though the truth about Christmas is easily available, Christmas-loving people just don’t seem to care. Wal-Mart tried to make a difference–and failed. And the fairy tale of Santa Claus and the “Christmas story” continues…

In its article, “What is the real Christmas story?” NBC News pointed out, on November 11, 2005, just a few of the MANY inconsistencies between the traditional “Christmas story” and the Biblical account:

“As to the day we celebrate, December 25th, that had been the birthday Sol Invictus–the sun God, Constantine’s favorite god before he became a Christian… after Jesus is born, three kings bearing gifts follow a star to Bethlehem to find the infant, the new Messiah. But that’s not exactly what it says in the Gospel of Matthew… Matthew’s Greek word is usually translated ‘wise men,’ or ‘maji,’ and he never says how many. But he certainly didn’t imply they were kings… Matthew tells about the strange guiding star, how it stopped over the house–not stable–where Jesus lay with his mother…

“In the years since all this happened, an estimated 30,000 different variants of Christianity have competed–sometimes violently–for people’s hearts. From wars and insurrections to inquisitions and great campaigns for moral rearmament, it all sprang from a rocky place that surrounds the sea of Galilee, where a young woman gave birth to a little boy. And from that one incontestable fact, sprang all manner of interpretations, opinions, beliefs, and faiths…”

And so, Wal-Mart began an experiment to dispense with Christmas decorations, songs and celebrations in their stores. But, their experiment failed miserably. As Bild Online reported on November 14: “Wal-Mart wanted to abolish Christmas.” But the tabloid added the words: “Not With Us.”

The mass-circulation tabloid continued to explain that a customer wrote to the management, complaining about Wal-Mart’s lack of decorations and the playing of Christmas songs in their stores. The management responded by explaining that Christmas was a hotchpotch from different cultures, stating that Santa Claus originated in Russia and the Christmas Tree in the Middle East, and that the Celts had invented the Mistletoe. The customer complained to the highly influential and powerful “Catholic League,” which threatened to call for a boycott of Wal-Mart because of their “discrimination of Christmas.” Wal-Mart quickly issued a public apology for their “inappropriate” and “unsettling” comments, filled their stores with Christmas decorations, and even started a special Christmas page on their Website.

It seems there is still a long way ahead for man to confront and face the facts and the truth–and not only when dealing with Christmas. What is man so afraid of–and why? For more information, please read our free booklet: “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

Thirty and Broke

Business Week Online published an interesting article, on November 11, 2005, on the higher costs of education. When reading this article, it becomes obvious that most students are broke when they are 30, because they are taking out student loans. This is obviously not the way to go, if it can be avoided. It is much better to live modestly now for a short while, than to live in despair for many years to come. The article, titled, “Thirty and Broke,” pointed out:

“[A female student] finished up at the University of Tulsa in 1997 with a business degree and $20,000 in student loans, which makes her, by official reckoning anyway, a typical graduate. She is now paying off her loans, $300 a month; at that rate it will take her until she’s about 50… Many of those 30-year-olds feeling unduly burdened by their financial obligations have had to make compromises on some of life’s vital decisions… A college degree is now the minimum required to find a place in the working world that affords some job satisfaction and material comfort… The cost of higher education, however, has increased so dramatically in the past decade and a half–up by 63 percent at public schools and 47 percent at private–that more students have to borrow tens of thousands of dollars to attend, ensuring that many of them are paying off those loans well into their 40s.

“[Another female student] graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., seven years ago and now has $42,000 in student loans and $7,000 in credit-card debt… [A male student] knows he will have to live frugally for years so that he can pay off the $71,000 he owes in student loans and the $40,000 balance on his credit cards… Fourteen percent of graduates said in 2002 that they had delayed marriage because of their loan obligations, compared with 9 percent in 1987.

“So after [another female student] graduated in May, 1998, with a double major in Latin American studies and economics, it was a scandal that she returned home $21,000 in debt and unemployed. Her fiancé… had graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997 with about $27,000 in student-loan debt and $3,000 in credit-card debt. When he finishes in May, 2006, they will have accumulated an additional $100,000 in debt.”

Iraq’s New Democracy

Iraq was invaded to bring democracy, freedom and justice to the people. And the former leaders of Iraq were to be brought to justice in a fair trial. But–it’s not that easy.

As The Associated Press reported on November 15, 2005, “In another setback to the Saddam Hussein case, a defense lawyer who was wounded in an ambush that killed one of his colleagues said Tuesday he had fled Iraq and was seeking asylum in the Gulf state of Qatar… Al-Khuzaie was injured in a Nov. 8 ambush in western Baghdad in which another defense lawyer, Adel al-Zubeidi, was killed. Al-Zubeidi was the second defense lawyer involved in the case to be assassinated since the trial opened Oct. 19. Saddam’s personal attorney, Khalil al-Dulaimi, broke off dealings with the Iraqi special court following the killing of lawyer Saadoun al-Janabi, whose body was found two days after the opening session. After the assassination of the second lawyer, al-Dulaimi indicated the defense team would not show up for the Nov. 28 session. About 1,100 Iraqi lawyers involved in the case behind the scenes also announced they were quitting the defense team because of security fears.”

This is not a good testimony for the victory of democracy and legal principles in a country which apparently cannot guarantee some of the most fundamental rights of a democracy–that of a fair trial and the independence of the legal system.

France’s Emergencies

AFP reported on November 15, 2005, that “The French parliament [approved] a bill extending for three months a state of emergency, aimed at quelling a wave of unrest which President Jacques Chirac said revealed a deep identity crisis.” In a televised speech, Chirac “vowed that all rioters would face justice and warned that parents who failed to keep their children under control should face punishment. Chirac also promised to crack down on illegal immigration and called for the rules on family reunification–which allow an estimated 100,000 people to enter the country each year–to be strictly upheld… He also announced plans to improve access to the workplace for black and Arab youths, the children and grandchildren of immigrants from France’s former African colonies, who complain of high unemployment and discrimination.”

Right-winged radical French politicians have called for the deportation of all immigrants and foreigners from France’s former African colonies–regardless of whether they are legally or illegally residing in France. The dark history of Nazi Germany comes to mind when hearing such frightening demands.

Russia’s Fear of the EU

The Russian paper Pravda launched an attack on the European Union in its article, dated November 14, 2005. The paper stated: “The idea to use the opportunity of EU membership as an impetus for democratic reforms in candidate-countries has proved to be wrong… What is the point of the EU’s existence? Even specialists may find themselves at a loss when answering this question. When the idea of European integration appeared, it became clear that European nations launched the unification process to overcome the destructive legacy of WWII. The current existence of the European Union is based on political mythology.”

Questioning whether democratic reforms are actually taking place in certain countries–they mention Bulgaria and Romania as examples–they continue: “In the meantime, Romania and Bulgaria continue to receive money from European tax payers. In 2006, Bulgaria is to receive 545 million euros, whereas Romania will enjoy 1.155 billion. These impressive numbers explain why so many countries have evinced great interest in becoming EU members: the process is much more pleasant than the result.”

Although financial interests are clearly THE main impetus of certain countries to join the EU, Pravda addresses a much more poignant issue: Russia’s fear of the EU. For Pravda to complain about a lack of democratic reforms in certain former East-bloc countries appears highly hypocritical when considering the ongoing human rights violations in Russia and other countries under Russia’s influence and power. BUT–Russia IS afraid of the EU. And even though their current “objections” are somewhat unwarranted and motivated by selfish desires, they might be right–in the long run.

For more information, read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

The Queen of England’s Anglican Church

On November 16, 2005, The Telegraph reported about Queen Elizabeth’s recent controversial speech about the Christian faith in England. The paper pointed out:

“The Queen opened the Church of England’s General Synod yesterday with a ringing endorsement of the ‘uniqueness’ of the Christian faith. In a speech that reflected her personal beliefs as well as her role as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, she contrasted the enduring nature of Christianity with the rapid changes in society… The Queen has come under pressure from liberals to step down as Supreme Governor of the Church… Her position is thought by some to be offensive to people of other faiths such as Jews, Muslims and Hindus and to Christians who are not members of the Anglican Church.”

The article also pointed out that “The Prince of Wales caused controversy in a 1994 television interview when he said that when he became king he would like to be known as Defender of Faith rather than Defender of the Faith to reflect the spectrum of belief in Britain.” The paper concluded: “The Queen’s words will be welcomed by churchgoers who fear that the message of Christianity is in danger of being diluted amid efforts to embrace a multi-faith culture, particularly after the terrorist attacks on London.”

Internet War

The Independent wrote again about the ongoing war between the USA and most of the rest of the world, pertaining to the Internet.

We addressed this issue in our Update #201. Basically, the US is presently controlling the flow of information. In the likely event of an attack on the USA, the sustaining of the Internet would be an important factor. A perpetrator would have to get control of at least one of the root servers before attacking, or make plans to let the Internet go into a state of disarray for a period of time.

Another big issue is that certain alphabetic characters can be substituted for similar looking characters in English. While it is no problem for a computer to distinguish the differences, the human eye could very well miss it (i.e., “b” and one of the three Cyrillic characters that look like a “B”). This could quickly become a security issue as, for instance, criminals try to obtain eBay names and passwords.

The Independent stated:

“At present, the closest the internet has to a governing body is an obscure American, non-profit corporation called ICANN. This quasi-independent body has, for years, quietly regulated domain names and allocated addresses. But its lease is nearly up. And the world’s rich and powerful will join battle for control of what they see as a gold mine. The Bush administration wants ICANN turned into a private corporation, on US soil and subject to US controls. Much of the rest of the world objects to that but the loudest opponents are countries with a history of censorship and repression, such as China and Iran. The likely balance of power in that struggle rests with the European Union, whose position is not clear.”

The article then published a summary of some of the national laws governing the Internet:

“BURMA–The military junta permits only two service providers, both under direct state control. Of the approximately 25,000 internet users in 2003, virtually all were hand-picked members of the military or government.

“CHINA–China has the world’s most developed internet censorship technology, thanks, ironically, to companies such as Yahoo. The pro-democracy writer Wang Yi’s blog was closed two weeks ago, days after he was nominated for an international award.

“FRANCE–The Law on the Digital Economy (2004) states that service providers are legally responsible for the content their customers post online. Providers must also check the legality of any links they maintain.

“UNITED ARAB EMIRATES–Though one of the best-connected countries in the Gulf, the UAE’s only service provider is state-owned. Medical and scientific sites that show naked parts of the human body, as well as publications about Buddhism, Sufism, religious sects and the US anti-war film-maker Michael Moore, are all blocked. Marriage agencies are allowed, but dating sites are banned.

“GERMANY–Ogrish.com, a website displaying graphic images of violence and mutilation, has recently been blocked by its service provider after a complaint from a watchdog group called Jugendschutz (Youth Protection).

“IRAN–Iranian censorship officially aims to protect the public from immoral, “non-Islamic” sites, but in reality concern centres on the political possibilities of the internet: it is currently easier to access pornographic websites than reformist ones. The authorities recently ordered all privately owned service providers to put themselves under government control, or else shut down.

“TURKEY–The line between criticism in the public interest and insult in online publications is very blurred in the eyes of the courts. Cybercafé owners are obliged to monitor the activity of their users for pornography, gambling, political separatism or any challenge to the state.”

The Catholic Church and You

Zenit reported on November 7, 2005, that Pope Benedict admonished the Catholic clergy in Austria to preach Roman Catholicism in its entirety. The article quoted the pope as follows: “A Catholic teaching that is given in an incomplete manner is a contradiction in itself and cannot be fruitful in the long term… In the uncertainty of this historical period and of this society, offer men the certainty of the complete faith of the Church.”

But what does the Catholic Church teach? For instance, the magazine published the speech of the pope on “All Saints Day,” which “coincides” with Halloween. The pope made some interesting statements: “He who believes in Christ the Son of God is reborn ‘from above,’ is again as though begotten by the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 3:1-8). This mystery is acted in the sacrament of baptism, through which Mother Church gives birth to ‘saints.'” When reading this, one should ask: Which is it? Is it “begotten” or born”? Apparently, the pope does not think that there is a distinction, but there is. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation?”

The article continued to quote the pope, as follows: “The new life, received in baptism, is not subjected to corruption nor to the power of death. For one who lives in Christ, death is the passage of the earthly pilgrimage to the heavenly homeland, where the Father welcomes all his children, ‘from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues,’ as we read today in the Book of Revelation (7:9).”

However, the Bible nowhere teaches that we go to heaven when we die, nor is death the “passage of the earthly pilgrimage to the heavenly homeland.” For more information, please read our free booklet, “Do We Have An Immortal Soul?”

The pope then addressed Mary, in this way: “May we be helped by the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Saints, whom we now address with filial confidence.” The idea, however, that Mary was a perpetual virgin, and that she lives today and resides in heaven as a “queen,” intervening for Christians, is blatantly unbiblical. For more information, please read our free book, “Jesus Christ–A Great Mystery,” in addition to our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

On November 3, 2005, WorldNetDaily reported that “The Vatican today warned Catholics that if they do not listen to the contentions of modern science–regarding the origin of life and other issues–they risk falling prey to ‘fundamentalism.’… When asked about the debate raging between evolution and intelligent design in the United States, a papal representative reaffirmed John Paul II’s 1996 assertion that evolution was ‘more than just a hypothesis.’ Said Monsignor Gianfranco Basti, director of the Vatican project STOQ, or Science, Theology and Ontological Quest: ‘A hypothesis asks whether something is true or false. (Evolution) is more than a hypothesis because there is proof.'”

However, the concept that man evolved from animals, and that one species (e.g., mammals) evolved from another species (e.g., birds or fish), is UNTRUE. There is NO PROOF for such an assertion, and it clearly contradicts the Holy Scriptures. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults.”

Evolution Under Attack

On November 8, 2005, MSNBC reported that “the Kansas Board of Education approved new public-school science standards Tuesday that cast doubt on the theory of evolution. The 6-4 vote was a victory for ‘intelligent design’ advocates who helped draft the standards. Intelligent design holds that the universe is so complex that it must have been created by a higher power.” The article continued to explain: “The new standards say high school students must understand major evolutionary concepts. But they also declare that the basic Darwinian theory that all life had a common origin and that natural chemical processes created the building blocks of life have been challenged in recent years by fossil evidence and molecular biology.”

Scientists predictably opposed the ruling, as the article explained: “‘This is a significant attack on science,’ said Jack Krebs, vice president of Kansas Citizens for Science. ‘They really are advancing a sectarian religious view. They’re treading on constitutional grounds.'”

However, scientists have not been all that anxious to support “free exercise” of experimentation and reasoning–a “hallmark” of scientific “objectivity.” On October 27, 2005, the New York Times published an interesting article about how scientists try to use copyright law to quench any criticism of the theory of evolution. Kansas’ school board wanted to quote from scientific papers, which promote evolution, to prove that evolution is a controversial theory. The authors objected to such use, quoting copyright law as a basis to prevent it, even though it appears that the use would be legally justified–with or without the authors’ permission–under the concept of the “genuine fair use” exception. The authors’ rebuke came less than two weeks before the state school board in Kansas approved the new science standards.

Flu Pandemic Just a Matter of Time

AFP reported on November 7, 2005, that “A three-day council of war on avian influenza [warned] that a flu pandemic was inevitable, could kill millions and inflict up to 800 billion dollars in economic damage… An influenza pandemic, potentially unleashed by a mutation of the H5N1 bird flu virus, ‘is only a matter of time,’ World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Lee Jong-Wook said Monday. ‘We don’t know when this will happen, but we know it will happen,’ Lee said. ‘… If we are unprepared, the next pandemic will cause incalculable human misery… no society will be exempt and no economy will be unscathed.’… Lee said that 63 deaths, out of 124 known cases of human infection, had been reported to the WHO, 150 million fowl had been slaughtered and the economic cost of the virus was more than 10 billion dollars…

“At present, H5N1 is transmissible from bird to humans who are closely exposed to virus expelled by sickly fowl in their faces and nasal secretions. But it cannot be easily passed from humans to humans. The fear is that the more the virus spreads, the greater chance it has to mutate, picking up genes from ordinary flu that could make it highly contagious from humans to humans. This feared mutation could occur if H5N1 is transmitted to a human or a PIG that already has been infected by the conventional flu virus. No-one would have any immunity against the new pathogen, which means a pandemic could swiftly spread in the modern era of jet travel and the globalised economy.”

Germany Unhappy

Although not that surprising and, unfortunately, almost commonplace in our world of broken promises, especially in politics, Germany’s future “grand coalition” has been described by the German press as a grand coalition of liars and thieves. Bild Online showed a picture of Merkel (CDU), Stoiber (CSU) and Muentefering (SPD), portraying them as lying “Pinocchios” with long noses. Broken election promises are the cause for the outrage. Merkel had stated on July 7 that she would not agree to raising taxes (does this sound familiar?); Stoiber had proclaimed, on July 17, that he would decrease the amount of individual contributions to unemployment insurance; and Muentefering had promised on August 19 that he would not increase the added value tax.

Subsequently, the pro-CDU tabloid published a new picture, removing Merkel’s long “Pinocchio-nose,” claiming that Merkel had been placed “on probation,” as she is apparently willing to make good on some of the election promises.

In one of its biting commentaries, titled, “Dear Beloved Liars of Berlin,” Bild Online wrote this week:

“Apparently, we have accepted the fact that there is no more faithfulness of our words, and no more faith in our words… Today, lying has become our hobby. ‘You are Germany,” is a nice campaign. ‘You are the country of lies,’ is the truth.”

In another commentary, titled, “Lazy, Cowardly And Without Imagination,” Bild Online wrote: “Never before have election promises been broken that quickly. That is why there is a third category of victims [in addition to the taxpayers and the unemployed]–the trustworthiness of these politicians.”

Bild also published an interview with a lawyer, explaining that the public has no legal way to prevent politicians from lying during election campaigns. The German president has no jurisdiction, and a lawsuit would be immediately dismissed. Bild concluded: “The nation’s anger is brewing.”

Germany’s Fateful Day

On November 8, 2005, Der Spiegel Online published a remarkable and outstanding lengthy article about the events that took place on November 8 and 9, 1939. We are bringing the following excerpts:

“November 9 is often considered a fateful date in German history. The first German republic was proclaimed in Berlin on November 9, 1918. On November 9, 1923, Adolf Hitler attempted to overthrow the German government in Munich. On November 9, 1938, Jewish businesses and synagogues throughout Germany were set on fire during the nationwide pogrom known as the Night of the Broken Glass. And on November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. A fateful date? Definitely one imbued with the weight of history.

“But it is the day before — Nov. 8 — which shows how tragic the mixture of coincidence, nature, and human activity can be. Indeed, had the world not lost 13 minutes on the evening of Nov. 8, 1939, an entire series of later, ominous dates in German history would never have taken place. Even the fall of the Berlin Wall would never have happened. Indeed, the Wall would never have been built. Those 13 minutes on November 8, 1939 were the most costly in the history of the 20th century. Within a period of less than six years, from 1939 to 1945, they cost humanity 50 million lives and virtually wiped European Jewry from the map. For the Germans, these 13 minutes resulted in post-war expulsions from Poland and Czechoslovakia — and a divided nation.”

What were these 13 fateful minutes? The article explained:

“The Munich airport was shut down on November 8, 1939, because of heavy fog. As a result, the city’s most prominent visitor on that day was forced to cancel his flight to Berlin and take the train instead. Adolf Hitler, who, on September 1, 1939, had ordered the German Wehrmacht to attack Poland, thereby triggering World War II, had come to Munich on that evening to give a speech at the Munich beer hall called the Bürgerbräukeller, just as he had done on November 8 in previous years. It was where the founding members of the Nazi party met every year to celebrate the attempted putsch of November 8, 1923 — a putsch that ended with Adolf Hitler in jail. Because of the fog in Munich, Hitler began his speech at the Hofbräuhaus at 8:00 p.m., 30 minutes earlier than planned, so as not to miss the night train to Berlin. The Führer left the Bürgerbräukeller at 9:07 p.m. As it turned out, the bad weather was what saved his life. A bomb that had been hidden [by Johann Georg Elser, a carpenter from southern Germany] in a column directly behind where Hitler had been speaking exploded at 9:20 p.m. The explosion was so powerful that part of the ceiling collapsed. Eight people were killed and 60 were wounded, some seriously. When the bomb went off, Hitler was already sitting in a heated limousine, on his way to the train station.”

We can safely say that it was not “mere coincidence” that Hitler escaped death in 1939. As the leader [together with Mussolini] of the ninth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, he was used by Satan to fulfill an important role in human history, as prophesied in the Bible. The beginning of the tenth and last resurrection is happening right now in Europe. It, too, will bring havoc over this planet–ushering in the return of Jesus Christ to end man’s incompetent attempts to rule this world. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Civil War in France

“President Jacques Chirac declared a state of emergency Tuesday, paving the way for curfews to be imposed on riot-hit cities and towns in an extraordinary measure to halt France’s worst civil unrest in decades after 12 nights of violence,” according to the Associated Press of November 8, 2005.

The article continued: “Nationwide, vandals burned 1,173 cars [on Monday-Tuesday], compared to 1,408 vehicles Sunday-Monday, police said… The violence erupted on Oct. 27 as a localized riot in a northeast Paris suburb angry over the accidental deaths of two teenagers, of Mauritanian and Tunisian descent, who were electrocuted while hiding from police in a power substation. It has grown into a nationwide insurrection by disillusioned suburban youths, many French-born children of immigrants from France’s former territories like Algeria. France’s suburbs have long been neglected and their youth complain of a lack of jobs and widespread discrimination, some of it racial… In terms of material destruction, the unrest is France’s worst since World War II. Never has rioting struck so many French cities simultaneously.”

The article also pointed out that “Apparent copycat attacks have spread to Belgium and Germany, where cars were burned.”

How Empires End

On November 7, 2005, Patrick J. Buchanan published an interesting editorial in “Human Events,” titled, “How Empires End.” He stated: “The Romans conquered the barbarians–and the barbarians conquered Rome. So it goes with empires. This is the larger meaning of the ritual murder of Theo Van Gogh in Holland, the subway bombings in London, the train bombings in Madrid, the Paris riots spreading across France. The perpetrators of these crimes in the capitals of Europe are the children of immigrants who were once the colonial subjects of the European empires… The rioters [in France] are of Arab and African descent, and Muslim. While almost all are French citizens, they are not part of the French people. For never have they been assimilated into French culture or society. And some wish to remain who and what they are.”

Buchanan continued: “…no European nation has ever assimilated a large body of immigrant peoples, let alone people of color. Moreover, the African and Islamic peoples pouring into Europe–there are 20 million there now–are… strangers in a new land, and millions wish to remain proud Algerians, Muslims, Moroccans. These newcomers worship a different God and practice a faith historically hostile to Christianity, a traditionalist faith that is rising again and recoils violently from a secular culture saturated in sex. Severed from the civilization and cultures of their parents, these Arab and Muslim youth may hold French citizenship and carry French passports, but they are no more French than Americans who live in Paris are French. Searching for a community to which they can truly belong, they gravitate to mosques where the imams, many themselves immigrants, teach and preach that the West is not their true home, but a civilization alien to their values and historically hostile to their nations and Islam.”

Buchanan concluded with this sober–almost prophetic–warning: “Yet, to keep Europe’s economy growing and taxes coming in to fund the health and pension programs of Europe’s rising numbers of retired and elderly, Europe needs scores of millions of new workers. And Europe can only find them in the Third World. Nor should Americans take comfort in France’s distress. By 2050, there will be 100 million Hispanics in the United States, half of them of Mexican ancestry, heavily concentrated in a Southwest most Mexicans still believe by right belongs to them. Colonization of the mother countries by subject peoples is the last chapter in the history of empires–and the next chapter in the history of the West–that is now coming to a close.”

Europe’s Historic Role in the Middle East

The Jerusalem Post reported on November 3, 2005, about an “historic” military involvement of Europe in the Middle East. The article stated: “The security cabinet approved the placement of an EU contingent at the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt on Tuesday, but the role envisioned for this force caught some EU officials by surprise. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon… said the force should have ‘real powers,’ not just supervisory ones… [Sharon] termed the security cabinet’s decision ‘historic’ and said it gave the EU–which has for years expressed an interest in taking a more active part in the diplomatic process–an unprecedented role. Sharon said the willingness to give the EU this role indicated a newfound trust and confidence in Europe.”

Saddam’s Attorneys Murdered

As Reuters reported on November 8, 2005, “Gunmen opened fire on a car carrying two lawyers defending some of Saddam Hussein’s co-defendants in a trial for crimes against humanity, killing one and wounding the other, police and defense team sources said.Tuesday’s attack followed the murder of another defense lawyer in the team… who was shot the day after the trial started in Baghdad last month.”

Jordan Bombings

As Reuters reported on November 10, 2005, “Iraq’s al Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the suspected suicide bombings, which left blood and destruction in Amman’s Grand Hyatt hotel and the nearby Radisson. A third blast targeted a Days Inn hotel.”

BBC News added: “On the face of it, Jordan is an obvious target for Islamic militants. It is a close ally of the United States and a strong supporter of the war in Iraq, and it has signed a peace treaty with Israel. Yet Jordanians were confident in pronouncing the monarchy one of the safest countries in the Middle East. This confidence sprang from trust in Jordan’s respected and feared security services–described by Western diplomats as the most professional and dedicated in the Arab world.”
The article concluded:

“[Jordan’s] choice will be between imposing even stricter controls on public life and carrying out promised democratic reforms. Having seen the ability of Islamic militants to evade one of the region’s most effective security services, the choice will not be easy.”

AntiWar Sermons and the IRS

On November 7, 2005, the Los Angeles Times reported: “The Internal Revenue Service [IRS] has warned one of Southern California’s largest and most liberal churches [All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena] that it is at risk of losing its tax-exempt status because of an antiwar sermon two days before the 2004 presidential election.”

The article explained what had actually happened in 2004:

“In his [guest] sermon [by the church’s former rector, George F. Regas, he] from the pulpit opposed both the Vietnam War and 1991’s Gulf War [and] imagined Jesus participating in a political debate with then-candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry. Regas said that ‘good people of profound faith’ could vote for either man, and did not tell parishioners whom to support. But he criticized the war in Iraq, saying that Jesus would have told Bush, ‘Mr. President, your doctrine of preemptive war is a failed doctrine. Forcibly changing the regime of an enemy that posed no imminent threat has led to disaster.'”

As the LA Times explained, the church received a letter from the IRS stating that “‘a reasonable belief exists that you may not be tax-exempt as a church…’ The federal tax code prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from intervening in political campaigns and elections.”

USA Today added on November 8, 2005: “Marcus Owens, the church’s tax attorney and a former head of the IRS tax-exempt section, said the agency offered to drop the proceedings if the church admitted wrongdoing. The church declined the offer, he said. The IRS has revoked a church’s charitable designation at least once. A church in Binghamton, N.Y., lost its status after running advertisements against Bill Clinton’s candidacy before the 1992 presidential election.”

In a subsequent article by the Los Angeles Times on November 8, 2005, the following was revealed:

“The IRS threat to revoke the tax-exempt status of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena because of an antiwar sermon there during the 2004 presidential election is part of a larger, controversial federal investigation of political activity at churches and nonprofit groups.”

The article continued to report about outrage of numerous churches in the United States about the conduct of the IRS:

“… the IRS action has triggered an unusual coalition of critics who say they are concerned about the effect on freedom of speech and religion. When Ted Haggard, head of the 30-million-member National Assn. of Evangelicals, heard about the All Saints case Monday, he told his staff to contact the National Council of Churches, a more liberal group. Haggard said… he wants to work with the council of churches ‘in doing whatever it takes to get the IRS to stop’ such actions. ‘It is a violation of the Constitution for the IRS to threaten that church. It may not be a violation of IRS regulations, but IRS regulations have been wrong,’ said Haggard.”

The article continued:

“In 1976, Congress passed a law that required audits of churches to be done only if there was a ‘reasonable basis’ to believe a violation had occurred, and made such audits subject to a special approval process from senior IRS officials. [Tax attorney] Marcus Owens… said that the more recent IRS policy changes lowered the threshold for church audits, allowing front-line IRS agents to pursue probes with only cursory approval from above. ‘This is exactly the sort of 1st Amendment briar patch the Congress wanted to keep the IRS out of,’ said Owens. The IRS disputed Owens’ contention, saying audits still face a rigorous approval process by high-level agency officials.”

Based on the facts reported in the press, it is indeed difficult to see how the “All Saints Episcopal Church” in Pasadena would have violated the Federal Tax Code, as they clearly did not endorse a particular candidate. It is inconceivable that the IRS would be allowed, under the Constitution, to deny or revoke tax exempt status of churches, which preach against war in general. As President Bush’s former press secretary so eloquently put it on one occasion, we have a clear and long-standing tradition in this country, which is being upheld by the Bush Administration, that churches can legitimately take the position that it is wrong to fight in war.

Are You A Sincere CO?

We are publishing below several typical questions which were asked during the “London Tribunal,” during World War II, and which are being asked by Draft Boards today, trying to determine the sincerity of young men claiming to be Conscientious Objectors. In addition, answers from sincere CO’s are provided as well:

Q. What process of reasoning led you to the views you hold?
A. I do not hold them from a process of reasoning so much as from Bible teaching, which is God’s revelation and instruction to me, and which I believe to be RIGHT, and have dedicated my life to follow.

Q. Are you sure your objection is one of conscience and not of reasoning or repugnance?
A. Yes, from a determination to live according to God’s Word, which teaches me right and wrong, and from conscience, which springs from a conviction of right and wrong rather than from reason.

Q. Why is it inconsistent with your conscience to defend the right against evildoers?
A. As a Christian I have forsaken everything of the world. Politics and war, even though the other nation be in the wrong and the evildoer, are of the world. I am here now as an “Ambassador for Christ,” and my life is dedicated to HIS cause. He is my King. His Kingdom is not of this world and not a fighting kingdom. He taught His followers NOT to fight, but turn the other cheek.

Q. Is your objection to killing, or is it to warfare in general?
A. Both.

Q. Why do you object to killing?
A. It is sin, the penalty of which is death — and I should lose eternal life. I should rather lose this mortal life, and be resurrected by God to life eternal. Sin is the transgression of the law. The law says “Thou shalt not kill.”

Q. Is war wrong? Why?
A. It is wrong. Because God condemns it, and I believe He condemns it because it only results in human suffering and misery and death. I believe no one ever WINS a war — it is, at most, only a matter of which side is the heavier loser. I believe God’s ways are RIGHT.

Q. What method would you use to resist evil?
A. The Scripture tells me NOT to resist it at all, but rather overcome it with good.

Q. If you are not in a position to overcome evil with good, would it not be better to destroy a greater evil with a lesser evil rather than not at all?
A. According to human reasoning, based on human nature, perhaps. But I personally must go by the Bible which teaches differently. Worldly governments do not go by this Bible standard in such cases.

Q. Your country is in danger. What do you propose to do for it now?
A. As Abraham did, I seek a better country, that is, a heavenly country, the coming KINGDOM OF GOD. I live IN the world, but am not OF it. I am here rather as a guest, an Ambassador for Christ, whose kingdom is NOT of this world. While here I am told to be SUBJECT to the government, even to its penalties, willingly, to offer no resistance, but to OBEY GOD. I am willing to do all I can for this country, however, consistent with a Bible Christian life. I cannot bear arms or participate in war. I willingly will do any PEACEFUL work, not contributing to killing.

Asian Earthquake

As the Associated Press reported on November 2, 2005, “Pakistan’s official earthquake death toll jumped by 16,000, and officials warned Wednesday that it is likely to rise further as relief supplies fail to reach thousands of victims stranded in remote parts of the Himalayas. The announcement, which puts the official toll at 73,000, brings the central government figures closer to the number reported by local officials, who say the Oct. 8 quake killed at least 79,000 people in Pakistan.”

Schroeder Goes Out With a Bang

On October 28, 2005, Der Spiegel Online reported about German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s farewell speech to the European Parliament. The magazine wrote: “Schröder Goes Out with a Bang at his Last EU Summit.” It continued: “It also gave outgoing-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder a chance to get some things off his chest, particularly his feelings about the neo-liberal course of the summit’s host, British Prime Minister Tony Blair. It’s been long known that Schröder thinks little of the Anglo-Saxon economic model… At the summit, Schröder and Chirac made it clear that they were in no mood to compromise and have said the UK will have to give way on its [Euros] 4.5 billion rebate if any kind of deal is to be reached. Schröder even gave Blair a parting word of warning: ‘You should not expect the next government to be lenient on the financial perspectives.’ Since Schröder is leading the Social Democrat-side of negotiations with Merkel’s Christian Union bloc, he probably knows what he’s talking about.”

Germany’s Grand Coalition in Danger?

The Economist reported on November 2, 2005, that “One key figure in Germany’s nascent grand coalition has resigned as chairman of his party, and another says he will not serve as a minister. If the Christian Democrats’ Angela Merkel cannot hold things together, new elections may be called for next spring… On Monday October 31st, Franz Muntefering, the chairman of the SPD, unexpectedly announced that he would step down from this position after his party’s executive committee rejected his candidate for SPD number two. A day later, Edmund Stoiber, the head of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), declared that he would prefer to remain Bavaria’s premier rather than join the new government as economics minister… These wobbles have raised the prospect of the entire edifice collapsing and having to be rebuilt from scratch. That could mean either the formation of another sort of alliance–such as a ‘Jamaica coalition’ of the CDU, Free Democrats (FDP) and Greens, so named because the parties’ colours are black, yellow and green, like the island’s flag–or even new elections early next year.”

New European Grammar Rules Blasphemous?

WorldNetDaily reported on November 1, 2005, that “A new grammar rule devised by the European Union in Brussels stipulates the word ‘Christ’ shall be spelled with a lowercase ‘c.’… the new guidelines also indicate the Dutch word for ‘Jews’ (Juden) is to be spelled with a capital ‘J’ when referring to nationality and with a lower-case ‘j’ when referring to the religion. The EU changes become mandatory next August.”

The article continued to explain that “Many Europeans have long discarded belief in God and in fact believe more deeply in ghosts than in a deity. A new poll finds two-thirds of Britons said they believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits, but only 55 percent said they believe in the existence of God. Meanwhile, 26 percent believe in UFOs [and] 19 percent in reincarnation…”

U.S. Propaganda War On Trial?

On October 30, 2005, Der Spiegel Online reported about the ongoing crisis of the Bush Administration. The magazine stated in its headline: “George W. Bush’s Propaganda War Goes on Trial.” It continued: “They are two of the Bush administration’s most trusted advisors: I. Lewis Libby and Karl Rove. Now, one has been indicted and the other may soon be. The affair promises to put the administration’s Iraq policy on trial and will ask uncomfortable questions about just how much the danger from Iraq was exaggerated. … Indeed, it was [Vice President Dick] Cheney himself who in spring 2002 — almost a year before the US military marched into Baghdad — made the completely unsupported assertion that Saddam Hussein had restarted his nuclear program. Condoleezza Rice, then Bush’s national security advisor, took up the war chant with her catchy warning against Saddam’s nuclear plans. ‘The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons,’ she said. ‘But we don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.’ The current trial will have to confront the fabrication of intelligence that lead to such overstatements and untruths.”

Illegitimate U.S. Babies

On October 28, 2005, USA Today reported that “A record number of babies–nearly 1.5 million–were born to unmarried women in the U.S. last year. And those moms were more likely to be 20-somethings than teenagers.” The article also explained that “Studies have shown cohabitating relationships are less stable and about half break up within five years.”

Iran vs. Israel

On October 29, 2005, scotsman.com reported about the ongoing controversy regarding Iran’s position toward Israel. The article stated: “Iran’s conservative president yesterday insisted he stands by his call for the destruction of Israel, amid a growing backlash against his comments both internationally and within his own country… Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s remarks have inflamed international tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and its alleged interference in Iraq, prompting Tony Blair on Thursday to signal that military action against Iran can no longer be ruled out… ‘My words are the Iranian nation’s words,’ said Mr Ahmadinejad.”

At the same time, according to an article by the BBC, dated October 29, 2005, “Iran’s foreign ministry said Tehran respected the UN charter and had never used or threatened to use force. But it also rejected a UN Security Council statement condemning President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over his remarks.”

Halloween a Pagan U.S. Custom

The BBC reported on October 30, 2005, that “Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged families not to mark Halloween, calling it a US custom alien to the South American nation. ‘Families go and begin to disguise their children as witches. This is contrary to our way,’ Mr Chavez said during his weekly radio and TV show.” The article continued to point out correctly: “Halloween, a pagan festival characterized by mischiefmaking, is marked every year on 31 October.”

Pigs Cloned

The BBC reported on October 28, 2005, that “The Italian researchers who produced the first horse clone have announced the birth of 14 cloned piglets… Scientists have now cloned sheep, mice, cattle, goats, rabbits, cats, pigs, mules and dogs. The first horse clone–a Halflinger mare named Prometea–was born at the research laboratory in the summer of 2003. Cow clones have also been produced there. The latest experiment was carried out as part of a European Union project to study stem cells in cloned animals.”

Jordan River Soon Dry?

In an article by Al-Jazeera, which was published a while back, in June 24, 2005, it was speculated that the Jordan river might soon dry up. It was stated: “The Jordan river, where Christians believe Jesus was baptized, is heavily polluted with sewage and is in danger of drying up after decades of conflict and intense agricultural use, environmentalists say… The dramatic decline in the Jordan is the main reason why the Dead Sea is also vanishing. The level of the world’s saltiest large body of water is falling by a metre each year and the sea could disappear in 50 years, experts say.”

2005–The Year With the Worst Natural Catastrophes!!!

Bild Online published several articles on October 10, 2005, discussing the most recent natural catastrophes. In one of the articles, it was stated:

“It is scary. Again another terrible killer quake, this time in Pakistan. Again more than 30,000 people died [recent preliminary estimates say that about 40,000 died]. And a mudslide in Guatemala killed 1,400. Does it ever stop? 2005–one catastrophe after the other. Never before did so many people die through natural catastrophes. Never before did our earth see so much suffering all at once. Earthquakes, killer waves, volcanic eruptions, horror storms, and floods. Does nature revenge itself? The earthquake in the region of Kashmir (India, Pakistan)… is the worst in South Asia over the past 100 years…

“2005–the year of catastrophes. At the end of last year and the beginning of the new year, a tsunami in Southeast Asia kills about 300,000 people. New panic about two months later. A severe earthquake hits the East of Indonesia… On March 13, a middle-size earthquake (5.7) in south-eastern Turkey. Four months later: Earthquake alarm in Tokyo…

“May 2005: Fear and trembling in the Saar Territory [in Germany]. A strong temblor (3.4) hits the region. The sky ignites in Germany at the end of July: 104,000 lightning strikes in six hours. A tornado damages houses. At the end of August another ‘one-hundred-year-flood’: Heavy rain, mudslides and floods: Many people die in several European countries (Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Rumania). Then the horror storms: Hurricane ‘Katrina’ devastates… Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Almost 1,000 people die. Three weeks later: The levies in New Orleans break again. Hurricane ‘Rita’ strikes. Over two million people evacuate Houston and surrounding areas. Then Hurricane Stan strikes Middle America. Several families die, villages are buried by mud… 2005 is going to be the record year of hurricanes. This year has seen already 18–normally, there are only 10 within a year. And then, there are 16 potential killer volcanoes on earth. Four of them are in Europe.”

In addition, another article stated: “And Now– Will Millions Die Through The Bird Flu?” The article continued: “The bird flu has reached Europe. It is only 1,000 kilometers away from us. In Romania and Turkey, there are already thousands of dead birds… We [in Germany] are sitting on a time bomb… During the last great epidemic in 1918 (the Spanish flu), over 50 million people died. The cause was a bird flu virus, similar to the current one… Early symptoms are fever, coughing, and serious pneumonia.”

Disastrous Earthquake in South Asia

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “An earthquake measuring at least 7.6 on the Richter Scale caused massive devastation across a swathe of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, leaving thousands of people feared dead. [Subsequent reports estimated the death toll in Pakistan alone as exceeding 40,000]. ‘This is the strongest quake in the last 100 years in this region,’ the chief of Pakistan’s meteorological department, Qamar Uzzman, told AFP… At least 14 aftershocks [most recent news reports mentioned more than 140 aftershocks], including one measuring more than 6.0 on the Richter scale, rattled Islamabad in the hours after the quake… Many mosques started reciting special prayers… Men spontaneously started reading aloud verses from the Muslim holy book, the Koran, and women beat their chests in a display of bereavement.” Bild Online reported on October 11, 2005, that the first cases of Malaria surfaced in Kashmir.

Der Spiegel Online added that a similar earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter Scale occurred in the region on May 31, 1935, killing 60,000 people.

Tropical Storm “Stan” Devastates Central America

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “Devastating Tropical Storm Stan has killed at least 278 people in Central America and Mexico after lashing the region for days with relentless rain, authorities said. Officials feared the toll could rise as emergency workers tried to reach communities cut off by flooded rivers or swept away by massive mudslides. The death toll in hardest-hit Guatemala surged to 176 Friday… The storm has also killed 67 in El Salvador, 11 in Nicaragua and 24 in Mexico… Tens of thousands were left homeless across the region… “

The article continued:

“In El Salvador… the trauma of the storm was magnified by an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the open-ended Richter scale that hit Friday at 1743 GMT. The quake’s epicenter was 55 kilometers (35 miles) south of El Salvador’s coast in the Pacific Ocean… On October 1, El Salvador’s largest volcano erupted for the first time in a century, killing at least two and forcing more than 2,000 to flee. The Panamerican Highway leading to the capital of San Salvador was cut off by mudslides, as were several other roads.”

AFP summarized the most recent devastations through hurricanes, as follows:

“The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, has been one of the deadliest and most active on record. Stan was the 10th Atlantic hurricane this year. Hurricane Katrina, which slammed the US Gulf of Mexico coast August 29, ravaged New Orleans and coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, killing more than 1,200 people and becoming the deadliest storm to hit the United States since 1928.”

Floods in Eastern U.S.

The Associated Press reported on October 10, 2005, that “Prolonged, heavy rain caused flooding from North Carolina to New Hampshire over the weekend, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate, knocking out electricity, weakening dams and making roads impassable… Gov. John Lynch [of New Hampshire]… declared a state of emergency and called in 500 National Guard members for assistance. ‘This is the worst damage they’ve seen from flooding in 25 years in New Hampshire,’ the governor said Sunday night.”

America Ill Prepared for Bird Flu

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “A draft of the Bush administration’s final plan for dealing with a likely Pandemic flu outbreak shows the United States is woefully unprepared for the potential disaster, The New York Times reported on Saturday. The document says a large outbreak that began in Asia would be likely to reach the United States within ‘a few months or even weeks,’ and that more than 1.9 million people could die in the worst case scenario, the Times said. If that occurred, according to the draft, hospitals would be overwhelmed, riots would engulf vaccination clinics and power and food would be in short supply, it said… The H5N1 avian influenza virus has killed millions of birds across Asia and infected 116 people, killing 60 of them. If it acquires the ability to pass easily from person to person, it could kill millions in the space of a few months, experts say.”

According to press releases by Der Spiegel and Bild Online, Rumania and Turkey quarantined large areas where hundreds of birds died, apparently because of the bird flu, including chicken, swans, ducks, geese and turkeys.

Earthquakes in Central California

The Associated Press reported on October 8, 2005, that “An earthquake shook central California early Saturday about five miles northeast of San Simeon, home to Hearst Castle. The magnitude-4.2 temblor hit at 5:17 a.m., according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Geological Survey… The temblor came after a magnitude-4.4 quake hit the area Oct. 2. San Simeon is located about 200 miles northwest of Los Angeles.”

Living In the End Times

WorldNetDaily reported on October 9, 2005, that “this weekend’s catastrophic earthquake in South Asia in the wake of recent U.S. hurricanes and December’s tsunami is catching the eye of televangelist Pat Robertson, who says we ‘might be’ in the End Times described in the Bible. ‘These things are starting to hit with amazing regularity,’ Robertson said on CNN’s ‘Late Edition.’ Robertson, a former GOP presidential candidate and host of the ‘700 Club’ daily Christian TV show noted, ‘If you read back in the Bible, the letter of the apostle Paul to the church of [Thessalonica], he said that in the latter days before the end of the age that the Earth would be caught up in what he called the birth pangs of a new order… What was called the blessed hope of the Bible is that one day Jesus Christ would come back again, start a whole new era, that this world order that we know would change into something that would be wonderful that we’d call the millennium… And before that good time comes there will be some difficult days and [these] will be likened to what a woman goes through in labor just before she brings forth a child.'”

The article continued: “Robertson isn’t the only one raising the End Times issue, as author and WorldNetDaily columnist Hal Lindsey has weighed in on the issue. ‘It seems clear that the prophetic times I have been expecting for decades have finally arrived. And even worse, it appears that the judgment of America has begun,’ Lindsey said on the Sept. 9 broadcast of the ‘International Intelligence Briefing’ on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. ‘I warn continually that the last days lineup of world powers does not include anything resembling the United States of America. Instead, a REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IN EUROPE is to rule the West, and then the world. ‘”

Starve Or Freeze?

The Associated Press reported on October 12, 2005, that “Winter heating bills will be a third to a half higher for most families across the country, with the sharpest increases expected for those who heat with natural gas, the Energy Department forecast Wednesday. The department said natural gas users can expect to pay an average of $350 more during the upcoming winter compared to last year, an increase of 48 percent. Those who heat their homes with fuel oil will pay $378 more, or 32 percent higher than last winter… ‘Should colder weather prevail, expenditures will be significantly higher,’ the EIA [Energy Information Administration] said… For some low-income families the sharp jumps could mean choosing whether TO EAT OR KEEP WARM, energy experts and advocacy groups fear.

“The natural gas utilities warned Tuesday that despite their attempts to contain retail fuel costs, heating bills for gas users this winter will jump 50 percent over last season nationwide. In parts of the Midwest bills could be much higher. More than half of all U.S. households heat with natural gas. But many of those who rely on electric heat, nearly a third of the country, may also see bills go up because many power plants run on natural gas. And users of fuel oil, more than half the households in New England, are expected to see their costs jump by a third or more over last winter, according to industry and government estimates… [The] National Energy Assistance Directors Association, which represents the state agencies that distribute money to help low-income families pay their fuel bills [commented that this] winter… [there will be more] than a million additional applicants for the government program, a 20 percent increase over last year, with NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO GO AROUND.”

The fact that poor citizens of the most prosperous country in the world may either have to go without food or heat this winter is a crying shame and a terrible testimony of the state of affairs of the United States of America.

Did God Order President Bush to Invade Iraq?

AFP reported on October 8, 2005, that “The White House has denied that US President George W. Bush said God told him to invade Iraq and Afghanistan, as a new BBC documentary is expected to reveal. ‘That’s absurd. He’s never made such comments,’ White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday. The documentary series set to be broadcast later this month in Britain claims Bush made the claim when he met Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and then-foreign minister Nabil Shaath in June 2003. He also told them he had been ordered by God to create a Palestinian state, the ministers said. Shaath, now the Palestinian information minister, said: ‘President Bush said to all of us: “I’m driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, ‘George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.’ And I did. And then God would tell me, ‘George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq… ‘ And I did. And now, again, I feel God’s words coming to me, ‘Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East’. And… I’m gonna do it.”‘

“Abbas, who was also at the meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, recalled how the president told him: ‘I have a moral and religious obligation. So I will get you a Palestinian state.'”

President Bush Under Attack

Der Spiegel Online reported on October 8, 2005, that “The US Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to outlaw the abuse of military prisoners in American custody. The move is being seen as a slap in the face to a President Bush who is retreating on all fronts. It’s the ‘biggest defensive battle’ of his career…

“Although the Bush Administration opposed the motion, arguing that it was unnecessary and would interfere with interrogation procedures, the Republican-dominated US Senate backed the bill by a vote of 90-9. This astonishing move, effectively a revolt against Bush by his own party, is being seen by many in Europe as just comeuppance for a president who the old continent feels has been guilty of astounding hubris [excessive pride, arrogance or self-confidence]. Bush’s leadership qualities, once his strongest suit, have been called into question by the disorganized relief effort following Katrina. And with every casualty in Iraq, the president’s popularity drops further still. Even the right-wing of the party — some of his most vociferous supporters during his first term — are disappointed with him, with Bush this week nominating dark horse, and possibly even moderate, Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court. Are German commentators worried for Bush? Hardly. They couldn’t be happier.”

Merkel Germany’s New Chancellor?

AFP reported on October 10, 2005, that “German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has relinquished his seven-year grip on power to open the way for his conservative arch-rival Angela Merkel to become the first female leader of Europe’s biggest economy. Merkel will lead a coalition government of her Christian Democrats and his Social Democrats, an alliance last seen in the 1960s, tasked with reviving the country’s battered economy. In separate meetings Monday, the SPD and CDU leaderships approved the deal for a left-right administration.”

The Associated Press added: “Parliament must convene by Oct. 18 but is not obliged to vote immediately on a new chancellor if coalition talks are still ongoing.” According to Bild Online, dated October 11, 2005, the earliest date for a parliamentary vote on a new chancellor is November 17, if both parties (SPD and CDU) adopt the coalition contract on November 14. If Angela Merkel receives the absolute majority (i.e., 308 votes–CDU and SPD have 448 votes), she will be chancellor. Failing this, the parliamentary election process will have to be repeated once or twice, until a simple majority has been reached.

The German press reported that Merkel’s CDU (in coalition with Stoiber’s CSU) would occupy six ministerial posts, while the SPD, in exchange for their approval of Merkel as chancellor, would receive eight ministerial posts. German TV reported that Schroeder declined a ministerial post in the new government, reiterating his position that it would be impossible for him to serve under Merkel–following a step taken by Germany’s Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, a few days ago.

Some officials within the SPD, as well as the FDP, have stated their disagreement with the decision and announced that they will not vote for or support Angela Merkel as chancellor. And nobody expects that the remaining two parties represented in the German Parliament, the left-winged PDS and the Greens, will support or vote for Angela Merkel.

Guido Westerwelle, leader of the FDP–the strongest opposition party–commented that “nothing good will come out of the grand coalition” (Bild Online, October 11, 2005).

Former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP), who was highly instrumental in bringing about Germany’s re-unification, had warned against a grand coalition between SPD and CDU. He had stated in an interview, according to an article by Deutsche Welle of October 5, that “A grand coalition always means a two-way blockade culminating in wrong decisions. Today when people talk about how federalism reform is necessary, it’s actually the call to finally undo what the grand coalition of 1966-1969 did wrong. That does not inspire confidence.”

Some observers agree with Mr. Genscher’s assessment of the grand coalition of 1966-1969, but hope that we will see better results this time. However, they might be disappointed. The grand coalition of 1966-1969 was responsible for many unpopular decisions, including adopting the controversial “Notstandsgesetze” (“emergency laws”), the military draft, and laws restricting personal liberties and freedoms. Because of little opposition within the German Parliament, an extra-parliamentary opposition (“APO”) came into being, mainly carried by students, leading to civil unrest in the country. If something like this happens again, we might witness a loud outcry from the German people and their demand for a stable and effective leadership (“der starke MANN muss her” –“the strong MAN must come”).

Credit Card Payments at Record High

The Associated Press reported on September 28, 2005, about an alarming trend in the USA:

“The percentage of credit card payments that were past due shot up to a record high in the second quarter as surging gasoline prices strained budgets and made it difficult for some people to pay their bills… the seasonally adjusted percentage of credit card accounts 30 or more days past due rose in the April-to-June quarter to 4.81 percent. That followed a delinquency rate of 4.76 percent in the first quarter and was the highest since [such information was collected] in 1973… With personal savings rates dismally low, people have less of a cushion to absorb the big jumps in energy prices… The personal savings rate dipped to a record low of negative 0.6 percent in July. Rising borrowing costs also probably contributed to the spike in credit card delinquencies…”

Who Controls the Internet?

The Herald Tribune reported on September 30, 2005, about the world’s attempts to isolate the USA and to create a new international body to govern and control the Internet:

“The United States and Europe clashed…Thursday in one of their sharpest public disagreements in months, after European Union negotiators proposed stripping the Americans of their effective control of the Internet. The European decision to back the rest of the world in demanding the creation of a new international body to govern the Internet clearly caught the Americans off balance and left them largely isolated at talks designed to come up with a new way of regulating the digital traffic of the 21st century. ‘It’s a very shocking and profound change of the EU’s position,’ said David Gross, the State Department official in charge of America’s international communications policy. ‘The EU’s proposal seems to represent an historic shift in the regulatory approach to the Internet from one that is based on private sector leadership to a government, top-down control of the Internet.’… Political unease with the U.S. approach, symbolized by opposition to the war in Iraq, has spilled over into these technical discussions, delegates said. The EU and developing nations, they added, wanted to send a signal to America that it could not run things alone.”

The Associated Press added on September 30, 2005:

“EU spokesman Martin Selmayr said a new cooperation model was important ‘because the Internet is a global resource. The EU … is very firm on this position.'”

The World Against Israel?

On October 1, 2005, the Washington Times published the following article, expressing the view that Israel’s continuous unilateral concessions are the surest way to war and violence in the Middle East:

“It took just 12 days from Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza before rockets started raining down on the Western Negev area from the now-unoccupied territory. The attacks late Friday might have occurred sooner if the terrorists had not been preoccupied with torching synagogues and destroying flower-growing operations in Gaza that could have produced income for Palestinians. Their hatred of all things Jewish prompted them to act against their self-interest… A Reuters story about the Israeli attacks on Saturday said, ‘The upsurge in violence was a blow to international hopes that the pullout could revive peacemaking.’ The concept of international ‘hopes’ is founded on the false premise that peace depends only on Israel’s behavior. Every time Israel offers concessions, withdrawals, confidence-building measures and other ‘good faith’ gestures, the response is more terror, more death and no peace. Will there ever be a time when the U.S. and the international community concludes that forcing Israel into making unilateral concessions is not a prescription for peace, but a guarantee of more war?”

The article continued:

“The ‘quartet’ of the U.N., the United States, Russia and the European Union has succeeded only in pressuring Israel to give and give and give. Whatever pressure it has applied to the Palestinian-Hamas-Fatah side has produced no cessation of violence, no disarmament and, in fact, no concessions at all… It is frustrating that no one pays attention to the terrorists’ pronouncements. Hamas announced it would flood Gaza with its soldiers once Israel withdrew. Islamo-fascist clerics call for annihilation of Israel and tell jihadists it is their religious duty to kill Jews and Christians.”

Oil vs. Human Rights

AFP reported on October 1, 2005, about the apparent relationship between American economic interests and a lack of diligence to end violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia:

“The United States has put off a showdown with Saudi Arabia over its alleged violations of religious minority rights as skyrocketing oil prices threatened to crimp US economic growth. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice decided to postpone by six months imposing sanctions against the desert kingdom in the wake of a US finding that the Saudi government denied residents some of the most basic religious freedoms… US officials acknowledged that the kingdom has so far failed to make major strides in re-establishing the rights of its religious minorities…”

According to AFP, the postponement of sanctions was prompted by America’s need for Saudi Arabian oil. The article pointed out:

“Saudi Arabia controls one-fourth of the world’s proven oil reserves and, as a leading OPEC member, has a major say in determining production quotas and, subsequently, prices. During the first five months of this year, the kingdom supplied the United States with 1.5 million barrels of oil a day, which is roughly 15 percent of all US oil imports… Twelve refineries accounting for nearly one-fifth of the country’s oil-processing capacity remain shut down following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the US Congress reported, warning that half of them could remain closed for several months. Deutsche Bank analyst Adam Sieminski said it was a ‘staggering loss of product’ that is likely to reverberate through the US economy as gas prices, already topping three dollars a gallon in many regions, lurch even higher.”

SARS and Bats

Reuters reported on October 1, 2005:

“Many species of bats found across China are infected with viruses similar to the SARS virus… This would support the idea that bats are the reservoir — the natural host — of the virus. Animals that act as reservoirs carry and spread a virus without themselves becoming ill… Animals such as palm civets were found to be infected but study showed they were not the true reservoir of the SARS virus… an infected bat could have been kept in a cage next to a civet in a market with the civet becoming infected and passing the virus to humans. Bats are hosts of several other new viruses, including Hendra and Nipah viruses, and rarely become ill.”

Marriage on the Rocks in Britain

Breitbart.com reported on September 30, 2005, that “Marriage is on the rocks in Britain, with the proportion of unmarried people set to exceed that of married people within 25 years as more men and women opt to live together without constraints… The proportion of married men is expected to fall from 53 percent in 2003 to 42 percent in 2031, while the percentage of married women will decline from 50 percent to 40 percent… The ‘Population Trends’ report predicted on the other hand that the number of unmarried couples living together will almost double from two million in 2003 to 3.8 million in 2031… The projections are based on the recent steep fall in marriage rates for people aged under 30. As the older generation dies, a new generation of people who prefer living together to marriage will take their place… Further, more people will choose never to marry at all. By 2031 almost half of all adult men in the country will have never married, compared with 35 percent two years ago… While divorce rates are expected to drop among the 35 to 44 age group due to a smaller pool of married people, divorce rates will rise slowly in many age groups and sharply among the elderly. The proportion of divorced men and women aged over 65 is expected to more than double by 2031.”

What To Do With The Ice?

The New York Times reported on October 2, 2005, about another example of apparent mismanagement and pilfering of taxpayers’ money by FEMA:

“When the definitive story of the confrontation between Hurricane Katrina and the United States government is finally told, one long and tragicomic chapter will have to be reserved for the odyssey of the ice. Ninety-one thousand tons of ice cubes, that is, intended to cool food, medicine and sweltering victims of the storm. It would cost taxpayers more than $100 million, and most of it would never be delivered.”

The article continued:

“In the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina… [and partly] because of the mass evacuation forced by [the hurricane], and partly because of… a broken system for tracking goods at FEMA, the agency ordered far more ice than could be distributed to people who needed it. Over about a week after the storm, FEMA ordered 211 million pounds of ice for Hurricane Katrina… Officials eventually realized that that much ice was overkill, and managed to cancel some of the orders. But the 182 million pounds actually supplied turned out to be far more than could be delivered to victims. In the end… 59 percent of the ice was trucked to storage freezers all over the country…

“Of $200 million originally set aside for ice purchases, the bill for the Hurricane Katrina purchases so far is more than $100 million–and climbing… Under the ice contract, the government pays about $12,000 to buy a 20-ton truckload of ice, delivered to its original destination. If it is moved farther, the price is $2.60 a mile, and a day of waiting costs up to $900.”

Recent Hurricanes Acts of God?

On October 3, 2005, ABC News published the following article:

“Most Americans rule out either a deliberate act of God or the effect of global warming as direct causes of the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes… Broad majorities across demographic groups don’t think the hurricanes are a deliberate act of God. But one in three evangelical Protestants think they are, compared with 13 percent of non-evangelical Protestants, 15 percent of Catholics and 17 percent of non-religious people… Alabama State Sen. Hank Erwin… recently called Hurricane Katrina a punishment from God, saying New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast ‘have always been known for gambling, sin and wickedness. It is the kind of behavior that ultimately brings the judgment of God.’ … among people who think the hurricanes are a deliberate act of God, just 8 percent see it as a punishment. About half instead see it as a warning sign, just over a quarter say it’s for a reason we cannot understand and 14 percent say it’s a test of faith.”

Hollywood and No Consequences?

On October 3, 2005, The Associated Press published the following article about dangerous concepts endorsed by and portrayed in Hollywood movies:

“Hollywood might be bad for your health, according to a new study, which concludes that blockbuster movies paint a consequence-free view of sex and drugs. Dr. Hasantha Gunasekera, the study’s lead author from the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, said the findings are troubling, ‘given the HIV and illicit drug pandemics in developing and industrialized countries.’ … The Australian researchers studied a September 2003 list of the 200 biggest box-office successes of all time [excluding animated features and movies with G and PG ratings] as ranked by the Internet Movie Database… [According to the study] Only one film… contained a suggestion of condom use, which was the only reference to any form of birth control. There were no depictions of important consequences of unprotected sex such as unwanted pregnancies, HIV or other STDs… Eight percent of the films contained depictions of marijuana use, and 7 percent other non-injected drugs, the researchers said. Just over half the marijuana scenes 52 percent showed use of the drug in a positive way. In the other 48 percent of cases it was depicted as neutral.”

Heavy Rains, Floods and Volcanic Eruption in El Salvador

On October 3, 2005, the Associated Press reported the following story about another series of natural disasters–this time in El Salvador:

“Heavy rains triggered landslides that killed at least 31 people in El Salvador on Monday, while rising rivers forced the evacuation of dozens of people there and in neighboring Guatemala. Both countries put their Pacific coasts on alert as a tropical weather front swept over Central America, unleashing downpours and causing principal rivers to overflow… The floods and landslides came two days after the newly active Ilamatepec volcano in El Salvador erupted, sending ashes and hot rocks down its flanks… The volcano, 40 miles west of San Salvador, last erupted in 1904. It became active again in June 2004.”

The Catholic Church Rejects Parts of Bible as UNTRUE!

On October 5, 2005, The Times On Line published the following article about the terrible attempts of the Catholic Church hierarchy in Britain to discredit God’s Word–the Bible–and to warn against those who take the Bible literally:

“The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church has published a teaching document instructing the faithful that some parts of the Bible are not actually true. The Catholic bishops of England, Wales and Scotland are warning their five million worshippers, as well as any others drawn to the study of scripture, that they should not expect ‘total accuracy’ from the Bible. ‘We should not expect to find in Scripture full scientific accuracy or complete historical precision,’ they say in The Gift of Scripture… They go on to condemn fundamentalism for its ‘intransigent intolerance’ and to warn of ‘significant dangers’ involved in a fundamentalist approach…

“As examples of passages not to be taken literally, the bishops cite the early chapters of Genesis, comparing them with early creation legends from other cultures, especially from the ancient East. The bishops say it is clear that the primary purpose of these chapters was to provide religious teaching and that they could not be described as historical writing. Similarly, they refute the apocalyptic prophecies of Revelation, the last book of the Christian Bible, in which the writer describes the work of the risen Jesus, the death of the Beast and the wedding feast of Christ the Lamb. The bishops say: ‘Such symbolic language must be respected for what it is, and is not to be interpreted literally. We should not expect to discover in this book details about the end of the world.'”

The article of The Times On Line continued to publish a list of the following Scriptures, which, according to Catholic understanding, are UNTRUE:

“Genesis ii, 21-22– ‘So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.'”

“Genesis iii, 16– ‘God said to the woman [after she was beguiled by the serpent]: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”‘”

“Matthew xxvii, 25–The words of the crowd: ‘His blood be on us and on our children.'”

“Revelation xix, 20–‘And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone.'”

It should not be surprising that the Catholic Church dismisses the Book of Revelation as a figurative allegory, which is not to be taken literally. Otherwise, they would have to find themselves in the uncomfortable position of explaining to their followers why the Bible describes very clearly in the book of Revelation the unflattering history of the Catholic Church, as well as its prophesied destruction and punishment from God at the time of Christ’s Return. However, the Bible teaches that “ALL Scripture is given by INSPIRATION OF GOD” (2 Timothy 3:16). Christ explained that He did not come to “destroy the Law or the Prophets,” and that not “one jot or one tittle will… pass from the law till ALL is FULFILLED” (Matthew 5:17-18).

Hurricane Rita’s Long-Term Consequences

The Mercury News reported on September 26, 2005, about long-term consequences of Hurricane Rita’s devastation: “President Bush on Monday urged Americans to cut back on car trips amid warnings that the energy disruption from Hurricane Rita could be worse than initially thought. Although Rita spared massive refineries and chemical complexes in the Houston area, the first reports about damage to offshore production of crude oil and natural gas were GRIM.”

The article continued:

“Offshore production across the entire U.S. Gulf of Mexico remained closed Monday, meaning a fifth of the nation’s oil production has been shut down since Thursday. Even before oil workers evacuated offshore rigs in advance of Rita last week, Hurricane Katrina had knocked out 56 percent of Gulf oil production. On-shore refineries also took a hit. The Energy Department said Monday that Katrina and Rita together had cut the nation’s refining capacity by 25 percent. Even when energy companies restart their Texas and Louisiana facilities, at least 10 percent of U.S. refining capacity will remain idle for weeks or months… Some consumer groups have accused oil companies of deliberately restricting refining capacity to keep gasoline prices high.”

On September 24, 2005, The Associated Press reported about Hurricane Rita:

“As the storm raged, the torches of oil refineries could be seen burning in the distance from downtown Beaumont… business analysts said damage from Rita could send gas prices as high as $4 A GALLON. Environmentalists warned of the risk of a toxic spill.”

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have begun to severely damage the economy and infra-structure of the United States of America. Sadly, this is just the beginning of troubles, as our next article on New York will show.

New York Next?

On September 25, 2005, The Independent (UK) stated: “Experts are predicting still more hurricanes, in what could be the WORST YEAR for the storms since records began. The US government’s official National Hurricane Center and scientists at Colorado State University, who predicted both Katrina and Rita, expect several more named storms in the remaining two months of the hurricane season. And the World Meteorological Organisation believes that the record of 21, set in 1933, may be beaten.”

The article continued:

“Some of these storms could hit the US, and experts say New York could be the next city to be DEVASTATED. The area around the Big Apple is listed by the Center as the FIFTH most vulnerable in the country, after New Orleans, the Florida Keys, Tampa in Florida and Galveston in Texas, all targeted by hurricanes in the past two years… Local experts say that such a catastrophe is ‘INEVITABLE’, and the New York City authorities warn that it could bring a 30ft-high storm surge crashing into Manhattan. The city says at least a million New Yorkers are at risk, and has drawn up plans to evacuate those within 10 blocks of the water. But the city could have less warning than Texas or Louisiana, since hurricanes move faster as they head northwards.”

Iraq Coming Apart?

According to an article which was published by USA Today on September 22, 2005, “Iraq is moving toward disintegration, and war there could spread to its neighbors, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Thursday. In part because of a new constitution that would give more power to various regions in Iraq, ‘there seems to be NO dynamic that is pulling the country together,’ Saud said. Iraqis are to vote on the constitution next month. Sunni Arab leaders are urging a ‘no’ vote, while majority Shiites urge approval. ‘All the dynamics there are pushing people away from each other,’ said Saud, whose nation is predominantly Sunni.”

The article continued: “The main problem, Saud told a small group of reporters here, is the split between Sunnis and Shiites in central and southern Iraq… ‘If things go the way they are… there will be a struggle… for natural resources,’ Saud said, and Iraq’s neighbors will be drawn into a WIDER WAR. He said IRAN, a predominantly Shiite but non-Arab nation, WOULD INTERVENE on the side of Iraqi Shiites. TURKEY, which has a big Kurdish minority, has repeatedly threatened to ENTER northern Iraq if Kurds there declare independence. If Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority appears to lose out, ‘I DON’T SEE HOW THE ARAB COUNTRIES WILL BE LEFT OUT OF THE CONFLICT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.'”

This would mean outright WAR in the Middle East! It would be tragic to think that the Iraq war–which was supposed to bring democracy and peace to Iraq–would have, at least in part, CAUSED such an all-encompassing war in the Middle East!

Afghanistan–Far From Being A Democracy

On September 26, 2005, Der Spiegel Online published an eye-opening article about the situation in Afghanistan and the unwillingness of many countries, including Germany, to face reality and to act–or not to act–accordingly. The article explained:

“Afghanistan is still far from a hospitable place, but that hasn’t stopped German authorities from beginning the process of sending Afghan refugees back home. The first have already been deported, and tens of thousands are now fearing for their future.”

The article described the official position of the German state, which is shared by many of Germany’s allies, as follows:

“…officially, at least, the war is over. Even if warlords continue to rule over drug-infested fiefdoms throughout much of the country, Afghanistan held its first parliamentary election in 35 years last Sunday and parts of the country have been stable for years now. At a conference last November, German state interior ministers determined that Afghanistan was sufficiently stable for refugees to be sent home. Of the 58,000 Afghans currently living in Germany, up to a third suddenly faced expulsion.”

The paradox of this official position is highlighted by Der Spiegel Online, in this way:

“Even Germany’s own foreign ministry has a warning posted on its Web site that, ‘Government security forces are not in a position to secure law and order across the country.’ Furthermore, the Kabul government has little control over vast regions of the country and 70 percent of the population is undernourished.”

One MUST ask: Has the war in Afghanistan, praised by many as the most convincing recent example of bringing peace and prosperity through war, really done this? If so, how are we to explain the undeniable fact that peace, freedom, posterity and happiness seem to be far from many Afghan citizens? Will man EVER learn that his wars will NEVER produce the peace and tranquility that man desires to create?

Gerhard Schroeder a Roman Emperor?

The Telegraph (UK) wrote on September 29, 2005:

“Chancellor Gerhard Schröder stands accused of behaving like a Roman emperor for refusing to quit despite defeat in the German general election… [T]he mass-circulation [German tabloid] Bild portrayed him in a toga on its front page. ‘Just what is the matter with Gerhard Schröder?’, it asked. ‘Does he think he is Germany’s eternal leader–like Caesar?’… [Schroeder] angrily dismissed Mrs. Merkel’s right to lead Germany. ‘It is clear that nobody apart from myself is in a position to form a stable government. I am Chancellor and I intend to remain so,’ he said… Instead, his party tried to argue that the conservatives were really comprised of two parties–Mrs. Merkel’s CDU and its Bavarian sister, the Christian Social Union (CSU)–each of which, taken separately, had fewer seats than the Social Democrats and, thus, no claim on the Chancellery… With neither leader [Gerhard Schroeder or Angela Merkel] prepared to relinquish their claim to lead Germany, there is even talk of their sharing the post for two years each [Angela Merkel rejected this possibility.]. Failing that, both may have to step down.”

The final outcome of this internal German “fight” between the two major parties and their leaders, and the formation of the new German government, could be of important relevance for future developments in Europe and the entire world.

Tony Blair’s Poor Performance

The EUobserver reported on September 23, 2005: “London has drawn criticism for its performance at the helm of the EU, with French ex-president Valery Giscard d’Estaing suggesting the UK has achieved ‘very little’, and the EU budget commissioner questioning slow progress towards a deal on the bloc’s future spending. A debate has sparked in the British media over the last few days about the state of London’s EU presidency. The papers have been quoting EU diplomats’ complaints about the lack of leadership in the presidency while journalists criticised technical problems at events organised in the country. Yesterday Mr Giscard also waded in. ‘The chairmanship of the union is now British’, he told BBC Radio on Thursday (22 September). ‘We are at the end of September. What was the contribution of the British presidency up to now? Practically very little’… The British government has also been under fire for its weak role in the debate about the future of Europe, following the rejection of the constitutional treaty in France and the Netherlands.”

When Tony Blair became the rotating President of the European Parliament, not much leadership or drive toward European unification was expected from Britain–and this should not come as a surprise, since the Bible strongly indicates that Britain will not even be a part of the final configuration of a United States of Europe.

Powerful Earthquake in Peru

The Associated Press reported on September 26, 2005, that “A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7 hit northern Peru late Sunday, causing power outages and cutting phone service throughout much of the region… Peru’s Geophysics Institute said the quake… was centered about 60 miles northeast of the jungle city Moyobamba, 420 miles north of the capital Lima. The earthquake was felt throughout Peru’s northern coast and as far away as Bogota in Colombia. It was the strongest quake to strike Peru since an 8.1-magnitude quake hit the Arequipa province in southern Peru in June 2001.”

The Bible predicts that the increase of powerful earthquake activities in diverse places, as well as devastating hurricanes and other natural disasters will signal the “beginning of sorrows.”

The EU in the Middle East?

Reuters reported on September 19, 2005, that “Israel has agreed in principle to a European Union role in policing Gaza’s volatile border crossing with Egypt, Israeli officials said on Monday, a turnabout after years of opposition to an EU security mission… Israeli officials said the pact had to be fleshed out and it remained unclear whether it would entail a full-scale European border guard mission. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters his side had agreed in principle to an EU presence on the Gaza-Egypt border… The London-based Independent newspaper said a heightened EU role could range from provision of equipment, such as X-ray scanners for cargo, to an expanded police or border guard force.”

The EU agreed to such a role in the Middle East. If carried out, could this be a preliminary first step toward the ultimate fulfillment of Christ’s statements about end-time European armies surrounding Jerusalem (see Luke 21:20; compare Daniel 11:41)?

German Elections–A Nightmare!

The most recent German parliamentary elections last Sunday threw the country into a nightmare of unexpected proportions–which are unparalleled since the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany, after World War II. Neither Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder nor challenger Angela Merkel received the absolute majority of the votes.

Der Spiegel Online published several articles on September 19, with headlines such as: “Germany Loses Its Own Election” or “Merkel’s Bitter Defeat.” AFP echoed these sentiments by publishing this headline on September 19: “Political turmoil in Germany.” On September 20, AFP spoke of “election chaos” and “political stalemate.”

What happened, exactly?

Der Spiegel Online explained:

“German elections are over and both Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and his challenger Angela Merkel are claiming victory. In truth, both did poorly — but they may end up leading Germany together anyway. It will be a coalition of the losers… Angela Merkel’s results… are nothing short of catastrophic. In June, just after she was nominated as the Union’s candidate for the chancellery, surveys indicated that she had a shot at an absolute majority of over 50 percent… Gerhard Schröder, on the other hand, was a lame duck all summer. After calling for snap elections in May, virtually every pundit in the country assumed the chancellor was rapidly heading for early retirement… His result on Sunday, while still one of the worst in the history of his party, represents the SPD’s high-water mark of support since… 2002… All of which means that Germany, on the Monday after the election, has two chancellors, no coalition government and little in the way of a plan how to resolve the situation. It was an election without a victor…

“Even worse, it isn’t clear that the upcoming coalition negotiations will result in a government able to govern… At the end of the day, more Germans voted for parties to the left of the political center (a total of 51.1 percent among the SPD, the Greens and the Left Party) than for those to the right (45 percent for Merkel’s Union and the neo-liberal FDP.)… Now, it seems the country will be led by the WEAKEST GOVERNMENT IN ITS POST-WAR HISTORY… In a Monday editorial, the Wall Street Journal opines that ‘the ‘sick man of Europe’ is likely to remain bedridden for a while longer.”

“Germany’s parliament has to meet by October 18 to elect a chancellor… After the election stalemate on Sunday, everything points to a grand coalition. But can the two major parties reform Germany? And who would lead, Schröder or Merkel?… This was the election outcome NO ONE EXPECTED… Schröder seemed completely in his element on Sunday evening, coming across like a MAGICIAN who believes that EVERYTHING IS WITHIN HIS POWER… The greatest fear of many conservative Southern German politicians may now be a reality: the outcome of German elections may be decided in the East [when 219,000 residents will vote in the city of Dresden on October 2]… The current breakdown of seats in parliament is SPD 222, CDU 225. So those three seats could make a big difference and transform Dresden into the German kingmaker.”

The international reaction to Germany’s election fiasco was one of utmost astonishment and bewilderment.

The Associated Press wrote on September 19: “Germany’s benchmark stock market and the euro dropped amid gloom over the muddled outcome.” It also explained that “If the new parliament cannot elect a chancellor in three tries, President Horst Koehler could appoint a minority government led by the candidate with a simple majority.” He could also dissolve the parliament and order new elections–which would then take place, in all likelihood, in the spring of 2006.

AFP added: “European partners looked on with concern as the euro slumped, pressing the German parties to resolve the standoff as soon as possible. ‘With all respect for the internal sensitivities of (Germany) I urge the German leaders to find as soon as possible a stable solution for Germany,’ EU commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said. ‘WITHOUT A DYNAMIC GERMANY, EUROPE CANNOT RECOVER.'”

The article speculated about three possible coalition options:

” [1] An unwieldy left-right ‘grand coalition’ grouping Social Democrats and Christian Democrats [Both Merkel and Schroeder rejected this concept]; [2] A center-left alliance bringing together the Social Democrats, Greens and the Free Democrats, known as the ‘traffic light coalition’ for the party colors red, yellow and green [The Greens rejected this concept]; [3] A left-center-right alliance linking up the Christian Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Greens. Wags have dubbed this the ‘Jamaica coalition’ as its party colors would match the Caribbean country’s flag [The Free Democrats rejected this concept.].”

On September 21, 2005, Der Spiegel Online reported about the first major casualty in the aftermath of the German election. In its article, titled, “Fischer takes a bow,” the magazine stated: “The first serious casualty of the German election mashup is Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, who formally retreated from any leadership position yesterday… Saying he saw no way for his Green Party to stay in government, he renounced his claim to a cabinet position in any new coalition and even stepped away from a leadership role within the Greens… His withdrawal suggests that life under Angela Merkel as chancellor would be intolerable for Joschka Fischer, and that continued life under Gerhard Schröder also looks… impossible.”

As German-speaking peoples will play THE predominant role in Europe, heading the last resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, it is incumbent on us to watch the political developments in Germany.

In Fear Of Hurricane Rita

As The Associated Press reported on Thursday, September 22, 2005, “Traffic came to a standstill and gas shortages were reported Thursday as hundreds of thousands of people in the Houston metropolitan area rushed to get out of the path of Hurricane Rita, a monster storm with 170 mph winds. More than 1.3 million residents in Texas and Louisiana were under orders to evacuate to avoid a deadly repeat of Katrina… Forecasters said Rita could be the strongest hurricane on record ever to hit Texas. Only three Category 5 hurricanes, the highest on the scale, are known to have hit the U.S. mainland–most recently, Andrew, which smashed South Florida in 1992.

“Galveston, Corpus Christi and surrounding Nueces County, low-lying parts of Houston, and mostly emptied-out New Orleans were under mandatory evacuation orders as Rita swirled across the Gulf of Mexico, drawing energy with terrifying efficiency from its warm waters… Meanwhile, the death toll from Katrina passed the 1,000 mark Wednesday in five Gulf Coast states. The body count in Louisiana alone was put at nearly 800, with most of the corpses found in the receding floodwaters of New Orleans.

“Crude oil prices rose again on fears that Rita would destroy key oil installations in Texas and the gulf. Hundreds of workers were evacuated from offshore oil rigs. Texas, the heart of U.S. crude production, accounts for 25 percent of the nation’s total oil output. Rita is the 17th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, making this the fourth-busiest season since record-keeping started in 1851. The record is 21 tropical storms in 1933. The hurricane season is not over until Nov. 30.”

Breakthrough With North Korea?

Der Spiegel Online reported on September 21, 2005: “Nuclear talks with Kim Jong Il have muddied again. Less than 24 hours after negotiators announced a ‘major breakthrough’ with North Korea over its nuclear program, Pyongyang has backpedaled. Monday, North Korea agreed ‘in principle’ to quit building nuclear weapons, and the U.S. agreed (also in principle) to recognize the government in Pyongyang and to back a peace treaty between North and South Korea that would formally end the Korean War. (Shooting stopped after an armistice treaty in 1953.) Everyone has celebrated the breakthrough — ‘If we weren’t in the middle of election results,’ wrote the German newspaper Die Welt Tuesday, ‘North Korea would be front and center’ — and it looked as if Kim Jong Il would let in all-important arms inspectors, to make sure he couldn’t build any warheads.

“But now strange noises have emanated from the North Koreans, who are believed to have about a half-dozen untested nuclear weapons. They suddenly swore not to give up their nuclear program until the US offered a civilian light-water reactor, for nuclear power. The US gave North Korea two water reactors in the 1990s, when the Clinton administration made a now-collapsed agreement with Pyongyang.”

Iran On The War Path?

Der Spiegel Online reported on September 21, 2005: “The European Union on Tuesday warned about ‘offenses and lapses’ in Iran’s nuclear program and suggested that the UN Security Council should take up the case by investigating Tehran’s nuclear sites. Iran [hit] back by saying it would resist any sudden inspections. Russia and China moved in behind the mullahs, and now a showdown seems to be looming… Germany, France, and Britain seem to have lost their patience, and their draft resolution yesterday asking the Security Council to investigate Iran’s ‘offenses and lapses’ turns up international pressure on the mullahs to prove they have no weapons program. Iran, of course, sits on an ocean of oil and natural gas, but claims to need nuclear energy.”

AFP added on September 20: “Responding to European efforts to haul Iran before the UN Security Council over ‘breaches’ of international atomic safeguards, Larijani also said Tehran would link its oil business and other economic trade with individual countries based on whose side they took in the dispute.”

The Washington Post stated on September 20:

“Iran’s president said yesterday that his country is ready to share its nuclear know-how with other Islamic countries, the latest setback to a U.N.-backed effort to halt Tehran’s nuclear programs… With the Russian president at his side, Mr. Ahmadinejad replied, ‘A powerful Russia is Iran’s best friend, and a powerful Iran is Russia’s best friend.'”

Whether the Europeans felt intimidated by Iran’s threats or not, they have now decided to “drop [their] harsher stand on Iran,” according to an article by The Associated Press, which was published on September 22, 2005. The article stated: “The European Union on Thursday offered to delay its drive to bring Iran before the U.N. Security Council for its suspect atomic activities if Russia and China will agree to a new resolution that criticizes Tehran for violating nuclear commitments. If an agreement is not reached, however, the EU, backed by the United States, planned to force a vote on the tougher resolution.”

On September 21, 2005, gulfnews.com reported: “Incredible though it may sound, there are signs that Tehran may be preparing for a military confrontation with the United States and has convinced itself that it could win… The surest sign yet is the military build-up under way in the five provinces bordering Iraq… Iran is estimated to have 250,000 troops in the area, its biggest military build-up since the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988…The Islamic Republic is a fragile structure in a zone of political earthquakes. Logically, the last thing it should want is war. Nevertheless, former President Mohammad Khatami has warned that Tehran may be boxing itself into a position in which it will either have to surrender or fight.”

Bird Flu Outbreak Will Kill Millions

Reuters reported on September 20, 2005: “The initial outbreak of what could explode into a bird flu pandemic may affect only a few people, but the world will have just weeks to contain the deadly virus before it spreads and kills millions. Chances of containment are limited because the potentially catastrophic infection may not be detected until it has already spread to several countries, like the SARS virus in 2003. Avian flu vaccines developed in advance will have little impact on the pandemic virus. It will take scientists four to six months to develop a vaccine that protects against the pandemic virus, by which time thousands could have died. There is little likelihood a vaccine will even reach the country where the pandemic starts.”

Additional Ridiculous US Spending…

The Associated Press reported on September 19, 2005, that “NASA estimated Monday it will cost $104 billion to return astronauts to the moon by 2018 in a new rocket that combines the space shuttle with the capsule of an earlier NASA era. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, in unveiling the new lunar exploration plan announced by President Bush last year, said he is not seeking extra money and stressed that the space agency will live within its future budgets to achieve this goal. He dismissed suggestions that reconstruction of the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina might derail the program first outlined by President Bush in 2004.

“‘We’re talking about returning to the moon in 2018. There will be a lot more hurricanes and a lot more other natural disasters to befall the United States and the world in that time, I hope none worse than Katrina,’ Griffin said at a news conference. ‘But the space program is a long-term investment in our future. We must deal with our short-term problems while not sacrificing our long- term investments in our future. When we have a hurricane, we don’t cancel the Air Force. We don’t cancel the Navy. And we’re not going to cancel NASA.'”

Is it too naive to politely ask, “In what POSSIBLE way are we investing long-term in our future by spending 104 billion dollars to return astronauts to the moon???” This appears an incredibly ridiculous waste of money in the face of serious natural and man-made disasters plaguing the USA. [As we prepare this Update, Hurricane Rita, now declared to be a category 5 storm, is expected to hit Texas by early Saturday morning. It is highly anticipated by experts that additional strong hurricanes will hit the USA this year.]

Scotland Most Violent Country In Developed World

On September 19, 2005, TimesOnLine reported that Scotland is “the most violent country in the developed world, with people three times more likely to be assaulted than in America. England and Wales recorded the second highest number of violent assaults while Northern Ireland recorded the fewest. The study, based on telephone interviews with victims of crime in 21 countries, found that more than 2,000 Scots were attacked every week, almost ten times the official police figures. They include non-sexual crimes of violence and serious assaults. Violent crime has doubled in Scotland over the past 20 years.”

Mismanagement In Louisiana

The Los Angeles Times wrote on September 17, 2005, that “Senior officials in Louisiana’s emergency planning agency already were awaiting trial over allegations stemming from a federal investigation into waste, mismanagement and missing funds when Hurricane Katrina struck. And federal auditors are still trying to track as much as $60 million in unaccounted for funds that were funneled to the state from the Federal Emergency Management Agency dating back to 1998.

“In March, FEMA demanded that Louisiana repay $30.4 million to the federal government. The problems are particularly worrisome, federal officials said, because they involve the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the agency that will administer much of the billions in federal aid anticipated for victims of Katrina.”

Britain Angry With USA

Mirror.co.uk wrote on September 19, 2005: “Hundreds of tons of British food aid shipped to America for starving Hurricane Katrina survivors is to be burned. US red tape is stopping it from reaching hungry evacuees. Instead tons of the badly needed Nato ration packs, the same as those eaten by British troops in Iraq, has been condemned as unfit for human consumption… The food, which cost British taxpayers millions, is sitting idle in a huge warehouse after the Food and Drug Agency recalled it when it had already left to be distributed. Scores of lorries headed back to a warehouse in Little Rock, Arkansas, to dump it at an FDA incineration plant…”

The article continued:

“Food from Spain and Italy is also being held because it fails to meet US standards and has been judged unfit for human consumption. And Israeli relief agencies are furious that thousands of gallons of pear juice are to be destroyed because it has been judged unfit.”

It seems, no matter what the USA is doing these days, it is creating more and more enemies for itself, even turning its allies and supporters against it. This should not surprise us, if we understand Biblical prophecy. Current events HAVE BEEN written in advance in your Bible, and you NEED TO KNOW what they are. Please read our new free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of England and America,” which is posted on the Web and is being printed at the present time.

Britain Angry With Europe

TimesOnLine reported on September 14, 2005, that “Brussels has been given the power to compel British courts to fine or imprison people for breaking EU laws, even if the Government and Parliament are opposed. An unprecedented ruling yesterday by the supreme court in Europe gives Brussels the power to introduce harmonised criminal law across the EU, creating for the first time a body of European criminal law that all member states must adopt. The judgment by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg was bitterly fought by 11 EU governments, including Britain, and marks a dramatic transfer of power from national capitals to Brussels.”

It is interesting that Tony Blair, even though the current–mostly silent–President of the European Parliament, did not prevent this development from occurring. This is another nail in the coffin of Britain’s participation in the “United States of Europe.”

The Catholic Church And The Devil

On September 14, 2005, MSNBC published an almost unbelievable report about most recent developments within the Catholic Church. The article stated:

“At the end of his weekly general audience on Wednesday Pope Benedict greeted Italian exorcists who, he disclosed, are currently holding their national convention. The pope encouraged them to ‘carry on their important work in the service of the Church.’ Problem was that until the pope spoke few people outside the inner circle knew that a convention of Beelzebub-busters was going on, presumably in Rome.”

Even though not commonly known, the article continued to explain: “The Roman Catholic Church has shown growing interest in exorcism in Italy. In 1999, the Vatican issued its first updated ritual for exorcism since 1614 and warned that the devil is still at work… A Vatican university announced last Thursday that for the second year running it will hold a course on exorcism and Satanism for Roman Catholic priests.”

Waiting For A Leader?

On September 8, 2005, The Los Angeles Times wrote: “For $3.8 trillion, we should get more than this. That’s the combined expenditure of the federal, state and local governments in 2005, nearly a third of the national economy. And yet the results in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast speak for themselves: Warnings went unheeded, levees were neglected, cops and rescuers were short-shifted… Amid all this international worrywarting [sic] and globe-girdling crusading, the well-being of ordinary Americans is ignored. Who bothers with something so dull as infrastructure? We spend money, lots of it, but neither party sweats details to make sure public services work routinely, let alone in a crisis. So there’s a huge hole in the middle of American politics waiting to be filled by a leader who puts the American nation, and the American people, first.”

Failure of Katrina Relief Efforts Due to Iraq?

AFP reported on September 10, 2005:

“Four years after the September 11 attacks, the failure of the US emergency services to handle the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina is due to resources being diverted to the ‘war on terror,’ experts say. With thousands of National Guard soldiers deployed in Iraq and medical resources being diverted to deal with a potential biological attack, the southern United States was less prepared than it might have been when Katrina struck on August 29. ‘The most recent effects of these diversions of funding have been seen in the unfolding tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the surrounding area,’ said Erica Frank from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. ‘Had there been more bodies on the ground, there would have been fewer deaths. But 7,000 National Guards from Louisiana and Mississippi are deployed in Iraq,’ she said.”

More Expensive Than Two Wars?

MSNBC wrote on September 10, 2005: “Although estimates of Hurricane Katrina’s staggering toll on the treasury are highly imprecise, costs are certain to climb to $200 billion in the coming weeks. The final accounting could approach the more than $300 billion spent in four years to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

The article pointed out that the “government never has dealt with a disaster of this scale: In 1992, the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in Florida and Louisiana cost $35 billion. The price for the 6.7-magnitude temblor in the Northridge area of Los Angeles in 1994 was $15 billion to $20 billion.”

Powell Comes Clean

As it was reported on September 9, 2005, “Former Secretary of State Colin Powell criticized the response to Hurricane Katrina, saying ‘a lot of failures’ occurred at all levels of government… ‘There was more than enough warning over time about the dangers to New Orleans. Not enough was done,’ Powell told ABC News’ Barbara Walters in an interview… Powell also said his prewar speech to the United Nations accusing Iraq of harboring weapons of mass destruction was a ‘blot’ on his record. ‘I’m the one who presented it to the world, and (it) will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It is painful now,’ he said.”

Catholics and the Bible

On September 9, 2005, News24.com reported about the fact that the Bible is not read by many Catholics. It was pointed out:

“With an estimated five billion copies sold in more than 2,000 languages worldwide, the Bible is considered the ultimate best-seller. But is it also the best read? Apparently not, according to a new survey commissioned by an Italian Christian association and carried out in three Catholic countries: Italy, France and Spain. The survey’s results were presented on Thursday at the Vatican, and suggest that only three percent of practising Catholics actually read the Scripture on a daily basis while 80% of them only hear extracts from the Bible during Sunday Mass. Bishop Vincenzo Paglia, head of the Catholic Bible Federation, also notes that there is widespread ignorance about the so-called ‘Good Book’. For instance, the survey found that 40% of those polled believed… Paul had written a Gospel while 26% thought… Peter was one of the Evangelists–the… authors of the Gospels are in fact Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Bishop Paglia also expressed concern about a survey finding suggesting that the majority of practising Catholics still believe the Bible to be a book which should be confined to the clergy rather than one they should make their own.”
This “concern” is of course rather surprising and hypocritical, as for centuries Catholic lay members were strongly discouraged, if not forbidden, by the Catholic Church to read the Bible.

Canadian Pastor vs. Government “Position” on Homosexuality

As WorldNetDaily reported on September 10, 2005, a Canadian pastor is facing monetary fines for his published views on homosexuality. The article stated: “A Canadian pastor who works with at-risk youth is preparing to face his province’s Human Rights Tribunal because of a letter to the editor he wrote calling homosexuality immoral and dangerous. The letter by… Stephen Boissoin of Alberta also called into question the province’s new homosexual-rights curriculum… The complaint was filed by Darren Lund, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary, after Boissoin’s letter was published in the Red Deer Advocate. If Boissoin loses, he could be forced to pay $7,000 in fines–$5,000 to Lund personally and another $2,000 to the homosexual-rights group EGALE Canada…

“In his letter, Boissoin wrote, ‘Children as young as 5 and 6 years of age are being subjected to psychologically and physiologically damaging pro-homosexual literature and guidance in the public school system; all under the fraudulent guise of equal rights.’… [H]is accuser, Lund, has likened him to a local white supremacist, Terry Long of Aryan Nation, and a holocaust denier, James Keegstra. Boissoin told LifeSiteNews.com he expects to be found guilty, noting he met with an officer of the Human Rights Commission who said the letter went against the panel’s ‘position.'”

Personal Insolvencies Hit Record High

On August 5, 2005, The Guardian reported that “the number of personal insolvencies in England and Wales has risen to its highest level in 45 years… In the April to June period, the number of personal insolvencies rose to 15,394, the highest since comparable records began in 1960… That was up 36.8% compared to a year ago and 11.7% on the quarter. The insolvencies were made up of 11,195 bankruptcies–also the highest on record–and 4,199 individual voluntary arrangements.”

Great Ramadan Offensive?

WorldNetDaily published a frightening article on September 8, 2005, pertaining to rising concerns about terrorist attacks in October, the “holy month of Ramadan.” The publication claimed that “al-Qaida is planning spectacular attacks next month against the U.S., Russia and Europe in what it is calling the ‘Great Ramadan Offensive.’ The offensive, designed to overshadow the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the Pentagon, was first referenced in a May 30 letter written by al-Qaida’s Iraq commander Abu Musab Zarqawi to Osama bin Laden. It is the subject of a report written by terrorism expert Yossef Bodansky, the former director of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, to government officials. Ramadan, the holiest period in the Muslim calendar, begins Oct. 4 this year and lasts a month… Airports in Italy and the Netherlands are referenced as specific potential targets, and Italy is already on high alert for possible terrorist attacks… Details of the operation came from intercepted communications between top al-Qaida leaders about two weeks ago… Bodansky says plans for attacks against Europe are being finalized in the Balkans, while preparations for attacks on Russia are being completed in Chechnya. Attack plans against the U.S. are being directed from the tri-border area in Latin America.”

The article continued:

“Paul Williams, author of ‘The Al-Qaeda Connection,’ however, sees a much more devastating, coordinated, all-out, surprise attack coming. ‘The next attack, according to al-Qaida defectors and informants, will take place simultaneously at various sites throughout the country,’ he writes. ‘Designated targets include New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Houston, Las Vegas, and Valdez, Alaska, where the tankers are filled with oil from the Trans-Alaska pipeline. To orchestrate such an incredible event requires not only the shipment of the nukes into the United States but also the establishment of cells, the training of sleeper agents, the selection of sites, and the preparation of the weapons without detection from federal, state or local law enforcement officials.'”

The reports explained that “… al-Qaida has obtained at least 40 nuclear weapons from the former Soviet Union–including suitcase nukes, nuclear mines, artillery shells and even some missile warheads. In addition, documents captured in Afghanistan show al-Qaida had plans to assemble its own nuclear weapons with fissile material it purchased on the black market.”

In a related article, which was published by ABC News on September 12, 2005, it was stated:

“In an apparent Sept. 11 communiqué broadcast on ABC News, an al Qaeda operative threatens new attacks against cities in the U.S. and Australia. ‘Yesterday, London and Madrid. Tomorrow, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Allah willing. And this time, don’t count on us demonstrating restraint or compassion,’ the tape warns. ‘We are Muslims. We love peace, but peace on our terms, peace as laid down by Islam, not the so-called peace of occupiers and dictators.’… [The tape] message contains a very pointed al Qaeda threat against Los Angeles and Melbourne… This morning, Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton acknowledged his city is a target for terrorists.”

Active Volcanoes in Oregon?

Reuters reported on September 9, 2005: “A large, slow-growing volcanic bulge in Eastern Oregon is attracting the attention of seismologists who say that the rising ground could be the beginnings of a volcano… Further north, the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens killed 57 people, destroyed at least 230 square miles of forest and spewed ash for hundreds of miles. Mount St. Helens has rumbled back to life recently, spitting lava, rocks and ash, but has not had another big eruption. A lava dome is growing in the huge crater created in Mount St. Helens, but that event appears to be unrelated to the South Sister bulge, seismologists said.”

Hurricane Katrina–God’s Wrath on Man?

Some have wondered and commented about the possibility that Hurricane Katrina was a direct outpouring of God’s Wrath on the people of New Orleans and other devastated areas–that God decided to punish the affected people for their sins. Based on the biblical evidence, we don’t believe that God “singled out” New Orleans, the rest of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Rather, Christ said that the people on whom the tower of Siloam fell were not worse sinners than others, and He told His listener (and He is warning all of us today) that if they (and we) don’t repent, they (and we) will all LIKEWISE perish (compare Luke 13:4-5). Hurricane Katrina was a warning, no doubt (as we pointed out in our last StandingWatch program, titled, “More Disasters Will Strike…”). On the other hand, the time when GOD specifically pours out His plagues has not yet come. So far, it is still Satan who rules this world, but he can only do, of course, what God allows him to do. The Great Tribulation, still to come, which will begin BEFORE the Day of the Lord [which is also called the Day of God’s Wrath] constitutes “SATAN’S wrath” (compare Revelation 6:9-11, and the insert chapter of Revelation 12, especially verse 12). GOD’S Wrath will FOLLOW the Great Tribulation and the “Heavenly Signs” (compare Revelation 6:12-17).

When reading this week’s Current Events section, reporting on Hurricane Katrina, we should notice several disturbing thoughts for sure– the continuing downfall of the United States of America, its decreasing reputation and prestige in the world and the world’s assessment of blame on the leadership of the USA. We are publishing the following comments FOR THE PURPOSE OF INFORMING OUR READERSHIP ABOUT THE PROPHESIED ONGOING DETERIORATION BETWEEN THE USA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD–ESPECIALLY EUROPE. (You might want to read our free booklets, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America” and “Europe in Prophecy,” which are posted on the Web.)

Reuters reported on September 2, 2005:

“The world has watched amazed as the planet’s only superpower struggles with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with some saying the chaos has exposed flaws and deep divisions in American society… ‘Anarchy in the USA’ declared Britain’s best-selling newspaper The Sun. ‘Apocalypse Now’ headlined Germany’s Handelsblatt daily…
“Many newspapers highlighted criticism of local and state authorities and of President Bush. Some compared the sputtering relief effort with the massive amounts of money and resources poured into the war in Iraq.

“‘A modern metropolis sinking in water and into anarchy — it is a really cruel spectacle for a champion of security like Bush,’ France’s left-leaning Liberation newspaper said… Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, in a veiled criticism of U.S. political thought, said the disaster showed the need for a strong state that could help poor people.”

More Reactions From the International Press–Has the Time of Reckoning Come?

The International press has been openly attacking the Bush Administration, alleging that it is incompetent, and that it is bringing shame on America.

When reading the following excerpts, these Scriptures about modern America (and Britain) might come to mind:

Ezekiel 22:4: “….You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries.”

Ezekiel 22:5: “Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult.”

The conservative German mass tabloid, Bild Online, wrote on Sunday, September 4, 2005:

“In addition to the suffering, there is ANGER against Bush. SHAME, shame for America. Citizens and politicians are abhorred about the mistakes of the crisis management. They allege that Bush has failed.” The paper concluded: “US actor Pierce Brosnan (‘James Bond’) attacked Bush directly. He said in Deauville (France): ‘I don’t know whether this man is really concerned about America. He will have to answer for a lot of things.'”

LA Provence (Marseille, France) stated that the time will come when one must ask questions of an “indifferent president who seems to be more concerned about Iraq than his own people.”

Le Monde (France) wrote: “The superpower … is INCAPABLE of handling a national catastrophe of such proportions. A discussion is underway in the USA whether it makes sense to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in Iraq, while there is inability to help its own citizens at home. Hurricane Katrina could become an historical (event) such as September 11… After Katrina, the world holds out its hand to a HUMILIATED America.”

Die Sonntagszeitung (Zurich) wrote: “President Bush will have to give an account to his own people, and to the rest of the world…These natural catastrophes cannot be viewed any longer as mere coincidences.”

La Repubblica (Rome) said: “We are seeing an AMERICAN POMPEII, which has been left to itself, and which is SLOWLY DYING.”

Il Messagero (Rome) stated that the mightiest army in the world could do nothing to prevent September 11, and that the biggest and most sophisticated technology could do nothing to prevent the disaster of Hurricane Katrina.

The Sunday Times (England) commented on Sunday, September 4, 2005: “This time, America’s vulnerability is coupled with incompetence… The only superpower in the world appears like an average Third World Country during a crisis.”

The Observer (England) wrote early September: “The conclusion that the leadership has failed tremendously is inescapable… President Bush did not immediately end his vacation, and when he spoke to the nation, he did not make it clear that he understood the severity of the situation.”

The Daily Mail (England) wrote on September 3, 2005, about the “humbling of a superpower,” pointing out: “Like some lurid scene from an apocalyptic disaster movie, a world-famous city is overwhelmed by the awesome forces of nature. Familiar landmarks lie half-submerged in a toxic swamp of polluted water. Thousands are feared dead. Images of desperate people smashing through the roofs of their homes to escape the floods fill our TV screens. But this is no Hollywood blockbuster. This is New Orleans today. The most exotic, un-American corner of the United States has fallen victim to a cataclysm that almost defies belief. A city the size of Sheffield will soon be lying completely empty, its residents fled, evacuated, or drowned. While Washington struggles to respond to the storm that has humbled the most powerful nation on the planet, we should perhaps reflect on how quickly the thin veneer of civilisation can be stripped away…

“Perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised. George Bush, so decisive when it came to launching an illegal war on Iraq, froze like a rabbit in the headlamps… Now back in Washington, the President finds his reckless adventure in Iraq coming back to haunt him. The National Guard, the part-time soldiers whose prime role is to provide emergency services in natural disasters, have in large part been deployed overseas. Five thousand members of the Louisiana National Guard who should be spearheading the rescue effort watch the disaster unfold from their HQ – Camp Liberty, west of Baghdad. Equipment that could have been so valuable in the rescue operations is parked in depots there. The same is happening across all the neighbouring states, leaving Washington bereft of vital manpower as it grapples with the greatest homeland crisis in memory. Here is a superpower that can crush at will a tinpot dictatorship–but then becomes so bogged down in the grisly aftermath of war that it finds itself unable to respond anything like adequately to the plight of tens of thousands of its own citizens engulfed by a natural calamity. President Bush, his ratings already in free-fall, could pay a high price indeed for his military folly.”

The Independent (England), a conservative paper, wrote on Sunday, September 4, 2005: “New Orleans will have to be abandoned for at least nine months, and many of its people will remain homeless for up to two years, the US government believes. The bleak assessment will deepen the biggest crisis faced by President George Bush, who last week called the devastation of Hurricane Katrina a ‘temporary disruption’… The President is now facing a political hurricane of his own, with gathering criticism, even from inside his own party, for failing to heed warnings of the city’s vulnerability, cutting spending on its defences to pay for the wars on terror and in Iraq, and responding sluggishly to the worst natural catastrophe ever to hit his country… The criticism is all the sharper because the President did nothing to alter his holiday schedule for 48 hours. Vice-President Dick Cheney remains on holiday in Wyoming [as of the date of the publication].”

The Independent (England) wrote in another article, published on September 4, 2005: “Vital measures to protect New Orleans from ‘catastrophic’ hurricane damage were scrapped by the Bush administration to pay for its wars on terror and in Iraq, despite official warnings of impending disaster. Funding for flood prevention was slashed by 80 per cent, work on strengthening levees to protect the city was stopped for the first time in 37 years, and planning for housing stranded citizens and evacuating refugees from the Superdome were crippled. Yet the administration HAD BEEN WARNED repeatedly of the dangers by its own officials. In early 2001, at the start of Mr Bush’s presidency, his Government’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) warned that a HURRICANE HITTING NEW ORLEANS would be the DEADLIEST OF THE THREE MOST LIKELY CATASTROPHES facing America; the others were a MASSIVE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE and, PROPHETICALLY, A TERRORIST ATTACK ON NEW YORK… Natural and man-made defences have long been neglected. A 10-year plan to strengthen levees after a 1965 hurricane was never completed. But the skimping has worsened since President Bush’s election, particularly after 11 September. Federal spending on flood control in south-east Louisiana has been cut by almost half since 2001.”

Der Spiegel Online republished, on September 3, 2005, an article which had been published in the New York Times, titled, “THE UNITED STATES OF SHAME.” It stated: “Stuff happens. And when you combine limited government with incompetent government, lethal stuff happens. America is once more plunged into a snake pit of anarchy, death, looting, raping, marauding thugs, suffering innocents, a shattered infrastructure, a gutted police force, insufficient troop levels and criminally negligent government planning. But this time it’s happening in America…

“Who on earth could have known that New Orleans’s sinking levees were at risk from a strong hurricane? Anybody who bothered to read the endless warnings over the years about the Big Easy’s uneasy fishbowl… Not only was the
money depleted by the Bush folly in Iraq; 30 percent of the National Guard and about half its equipment are in Iraq… Michael Brown… in charge of FEMA… admitted he didn’t know until Thursday that there were 15,000 desperate, dehydrated, hungry, angry, dying victims of Katrina in the New Orleans Convention Center…. When the president and vice president rashly shook off our allies and our respect for international law to pursue a war built on lies, when they sanctioned torture, they SHOOK THE FAITH OF THE WORLD IN AMERICAN IDEALS. When they were deaf for so long to the horrific misery and cries for help of the victims in New Orleans–most of them poor and black, like those stuck at the back of the evacuation line yesterday while 700 guests and employees of the Hyatt Hotel were bused out first–they SHOOK THE FAITH OF ALL AMERICANS IN AMERICAN IDEALS. AND MADE US ASHAMED. WHO ARE WE IF WE CAN’T TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN?”

On September 7, 2005, The Associated Press published an article with the headline: “Europeans Wonder About Slow Katrina Relief.” The article stated: “For four days, a C-130 transport plane ready to lift supplies to Katrina victims has stood idle at an air base in Sweden. The aid includes a water purification system that may be urgently needed amid signs deadly diseases could be spreading through fetid pools in New Orleans. The one thing that stands in the way of takeoff? Approval by U.S. officials. Although some foreign aid is on the way to the U.S., many international donors are complaining of frustration that bureaucratic entanglements are hindering shipments to the United States… The United States has accepted offers of nearly $1 billion in assistance from some 95 countries, said Harry K. Thomas Jr., the State Department’s executive secretary. One of those rejected came from Iran… because it was conditional… But Poland, Austria and Norway said they had not heard back on their aid offers, and countries outside Europe said they were also waiting for replies.”

The article continued:

“The global mobilization has been accompanied by widespread surprise at the mayhem in New Orleans. People around the world have been shocked by the images of the devastation, and also by the looting and disorder that followed and the perceived shortcomings in the response by U.S. authorities. ‘We have all watched as a large part of the United States fell from a First World society into Third World death, chaos and social breakdown,’ historian J.L. Granastein, a fellow of the Canadian Defense and Foreign Affairs Institute, wrote in Canada’s The Globe and Mail. Fintan O’Toole, writing in The Irish Times, said the disaster revealed ‘the underlying nature of a troubled country. When America looks at the huge expanse of filthy, fetid water that has drowned New Orleans, it becomes a mirror in which it finally sees the scars on its own face. The scars of poverty, of racism, of ideological zealotry, of public corruption and of environmental degradation, usually concealed by a cosmetic media, become visible,’ he wrote.”

According to AFP, China’s “most important state-run newspaper has accused US President George W. Bush and his administration of ‘negligence of duty’ in its response to the disaster wrought by Hurricane Katrina.” The article, which was published on September 8, 2005, continued: “‘… ever since “September 11″, the Congress had cut anti-flood allocation to Louisiana, which later became a main reason for the slow rescue work this time,’ said the officially controlled [Communist] paper. ‘In the face of the hurricane, Americans accepted the challenge but failed to beat it off. This is really a shame on the United States.’ It said the anarchy and chaos seen in New Orleans after the hurricane looked to the world like America was ‘fighting a city war at home.’ ‘New Orleans has become Baghdad,’ it said… ‘it revealed the fragility of American society, as well as despair and disorder in a state of anarchy.'”

America Needs Help!

MSNBC.com published the following article on September 7, 2005:

“From Germany, 25 tons of food rations and more on the way. Mexico sent bottled water. And from France, Red Cross workers flew to Baton Rouge to join in the relief effort. But big is too small a word to describe the international response to Hurricane Katrina–more than 60 nations have reached out and responded to America’s call for help. And it doesn’t capture the SHOCK that other countries have over the images that have emerged from the Gulf Coast. Here in Britain and elsewhere newspaper editorials are asking why the world’s only superpower APPEARS SO HELPLESS. The Independent newspaper in Britain declared on its front page Tuesday that people were dying because they were poor… And all across Europe people are talking about HOW AMERICA COULD GET IT SO WRONG. In the Middle East satellite news channels came up with an answer. In a word: ‘Iraq.’… Several Arab networks claim American can’t fight a war in Iraq and battle storm damage at home. One commentator said the natural disaster has put Iraq as the number-one issue in the United States, saying, ‘most Americans are drawing a link between the Iraq war and the delay in rescue efforts.’… The criticism from those with an agenda was predictable. Still there was GENUINE DISMAY from Arab countries expecting the U.S. to at least take care of their own. Egyptian newspapers called it SHOCKING that America was incapable of handling the disaster… At the London School of Economics, Professor Rodney Baker said the disaster has ALTERED AMERICA’S IMAGE.”

The article continued:

“But rich or poor, nations are lining up to help. How about the image of Afghanistan pledging a hundred thousand dollars? Or that Singaporeans are now flying rescue helicopters over New Orleans? Or that Sri Lanka, itself a victim of a national disaster during the tsunami, offered $25,000 to the Red Cross, all it could afford? So nations with little to offer give what they can PERHAPS IN RECOGNITION OF AMERICA’S LONG HISTORY OF GENEROSITY IN TIMES OF NEED.”

Horror Statistics and Facts

The Independent (England) wrote on September 4, 2005: “In New Orleans, fires burn amid a sea of sewage and uncounted corpses. Across the coast of the southern United States, up to 10,000 are killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, and nearly every shred of civilisation removed.”

The Associated Press wrote on September 4, 2005, that “Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said Sunday the death toll from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath is in the thousands, the first time a federal official has acknowledged what many had feared.”

AFP wrote on September 2, 2005: “US Senator David Vitter said that the death toll from Hurricane Katrina could top 10,000 in Louisiana alone.”

On September 2, 2005, The Huffington Post published an editorial by Randall Robinson, a social justice advocate and author whose works include, “The Debt–What America Owes to Blacks”: “It is reported that black hurricane victims in New Orleans have begun eating corpses to survive. Four days after the storm, thousands of blacks in New Orleans are dying like dogs.”

Incredible Lack of US Reserves of Crude and Heating Oil

Reuters reported on September 2, 2005:

“France, Germany, Spain and Italy [who have “SUBSTANTIAL emergency reserves”] declared they were ready to send fuel across the Atlantic… EU nations have watched in horror as the world’s richest country struggles with the aftermath of Katrina. Thousands are feared dead and troops in the flooded city of New Orleans have been told to shoot-to-kill to crack down on looting. Gasoline prices have soared by nearly a fifth over the past week and President George W. Bush has urged Americans to go easy on fuel… the United States has ONLY emergency reserves of crude and a SMALL stockpile of heating oil… ” The article pointed out, too, that “Europe’s pledge of gasoline may carry a POLITICAL PRICE for Washington.”

Need for Repentance

On September 3, 2005, WorldNetDaily published a statement by Billy Graham on the catastrophe in New Orleans. Although it proves to be a mixture of truth and error–in fact, more error than truth–we are quoting Graham, with approval, as follows:

“The disaster of Hurricane Katrina may be the worst tragedy America has known since the Civil War. The aftermath has almost been frightening… The tragedy is so overwhelming that it is beyond comprehension… The flood of refugees may be one of the greatest challenges our society has ever faced. It is clear that it will take years for thousands of lives to return to normal… Times like this will make us react in one of two ways: Either we will become bitter and angry–or we will realize our need of God and turn to Him in faith and trust… May this tragedy make each of us realize our need of God, and may we turn to Christ in repentance and faith and find our hope in Him.”

California Next?

The Los Angeles Times reported on September 8, 2005:

“U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Lucy Jones remembers attending an emergency training session in August 2001 with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that discussed the three most likely catastrophes to strike the United States. First on the list was a terrorist attack in New York. Second was a super-strength hurricane hitting New Orleans. Third was a major earthquake on the San Andreas fault. Now that the first two have come to pass, she and other earthquake experts are using the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as an opportunity to reassess how California would handle a major temblor… officials believe that a major temblor could cause the level of destruction and disruption [in California, especially Los Angeles] seen over the last week on the Gulf Coast…

“There are about 40,000 structures in California made from ‘non-ductile reinforced concrete,’ a rigid substance susceptible to cracking… A state study published last year on hazard reduction paints a sobering picture of California’s earthquake danger. About 62% of the population lives in a zone of high earthquake danger, including 100% of the population of Ventura County, 99% of Los Angeles County and 92% of Riverside County… One of the biggest concerns of seismic safety officials is the fate of hospitals… About 78% of hospitals have at least one building deemed at risk… A 2002 state study found that more than 7,500 school buildings across California are expected to ‘perform poorly’ in a major temblor… About 60% of Southern California’s water is imported from outside the region in three major aqueducts that cross the San Andreas fault, making them particularly vulnerable to major earthquake damage… Major gas lines also come into Southern California over the San Andreas at several points.”

Iraq in the News

The Catholic paper, Zenit, published the following article on September 2, 2005:

“The archbishop of Baghdad warns that there are ‘serious risks’ of civil war in Iraq… tensions are rising as the Shiites and the Sunnis fight over the future constitution. ‘We are still in great chaos, but perhaps this word does not express the daily tragedy of the situation… The chaos is fueled, in fact, by violence, which I would not describe as “blind,” as it seems to be very well planned and, therefore, perverse.’… Democracy ‘might come soon, but it might never come,’ continued the archbishop.”

TV Debate in Germany

As The Associated Press reported on September 4, 2005, “Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder reminded Germans of his opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq and his challenger Angela Merkel focused on unemployment, as the two squared off Sunday in a key televised debate [the only one agreed to by both parties] two weeks ahead of elections. The 90-minute debate, broadcast live during prime time, offered the beleaguered Schroeder an opportunity to showcase his strong television skills as polls give Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats a double-digit advantage over his Social Democrats. Polls found that the media-savvy Schroeder performed better–an outcome that had been widely predicted… A poll of 1,276 people carried out for ARD television after the debate found that 49 percent believed Schroeder fared better overall, against 33 percent for Merkel.”

As Bild Online explained, 57 percent felt that Schroeder was more competent than Merkel; only 34 percent favored Merkel. 56 percent had more sympathy for Schroeder than for Merkel; only 34 percent favored Merkel. According to a poll for ZDF television, 48 percent believed that Schroeder was the victor of the debate; only 28 percent felt that Merkel had fared better.

It will have to be seen, what impact, if any, the TV debate will have on the governmental election on September 18, 2005.

Europe’s Galileo Satellite Navigation System

As Reuters reported on September 7, 2005, “India joined Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system on Wednesday, becoming the fourth non-EU country to join the program that rivals the U.S. Global Positioning System. Galileo is Europe’s plan to create its own global navigation satellite system, with uses ranging from helping motorists navigate electronic maps to assisting search-and-rescue operations. It is scheduled to go into service in 2008 and eventually will have 30 satellites orbiting almost 24,000 km (15,000 miles) above the earth… China, Israel and Ukraine have already joined Galileo and talks were also underway with Argentina, Brazil, Morocco, Mexico, Norway [and] Chile… The project is meant to rival the U.S. Global Positioning System.”

Europe’s new navigation system is a big step towards independence from the US satellite system, which could also be used, of course, for military purposes.