Update 1113

On June 1, 2024, Christoph Sperzel will present the sermonette, titled, “Do Your Emotions Rule You?” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Do You Dwell With God or With Satan?”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Occasionally one hears the phrase: “To Thine Own Self Be True.” Perhaps it was used in the context of career or life advice. However, many people mistake this quotation as originating in the Bible. If it had, it might not have the connotation that people associate with it. It can be construed as meaning to do your own thing, and, in light of the decay of society, you can imagine what some would suggest it means. The quotation is actually from the Shakespeare classic: Hamlet. While Shakespeare was familiar with the Bible and utilized over 2000 Bible verses in his plays and writings, this is not one of them. As true Christians, we know our charge is more accurately: “In our relationship with God, we must be true.” We are referring to accountability—accountability to and before God.

Many years ago, I worked as a civilian at a naval shipyard that we were converting into a business park. We had a company that did ship repair for the Navy. I learned some tough lessons in my years working there. Some directly involved me, and others I gleaned from observing all that was taking place around the complex. I learned that even while a ship was in dry dock undergoing refurbishment, the commanding officer was still responsible for everything that occurred on or near the ship.

My point is not to praise military service nor advocate for it, as we understand that this is against God’s law. The point is that accountability for one’s actions is serious business. To ignore this is an affront to God and against His law. There was a small fire on a ship being repaired, likely the result of a welding torch. I learned that despite the fact that the ship was in dock and had only a skeleton crew on board, the commander would be disciplined and likely face demotion or be frozen in his position for years to come. This struck me as a harsh consequence, but I came to understand that such standards were designed to instill rigor, discipline, and accountability. To set standards higher than our human nature typically seeks is why we must rely solely on God. It is His standard that we must meet.

We know that as true Christians we are subject to this high standard in our relationship with God. In Romans 14:10-13, we see that we all must give account of ourselves before God. Paul advises that we not judge one another as we face the judgement of our Creator who will consider all we have done and failed to do. Consider Paul’s words: “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

We have the words of Jesus Christ to further guide us in Matthew 12:33, referring to the fruit of the tree, that a bad tree will yield bad fruit and so the opposite is so: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” Jesus continues in Matthew 12 to point out that we are all responsible for our actions and thoughts. We see this in Matthew 12:36-37: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

We are reminded by Paul, who we believe to be the author of the Book of Hebrews, that the Word of God is living and powerful; it cuts to the truth and discerns the intent of the heart.

Further on in Hebrews 4:13 we read: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

This point is reinforced for us in Jeremiah 17:9-10:“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”

Unlike the officer who paid the penalty for that fire, God offers us the opportunity to be forgiven for our transgressions when we repent. He does not demote us; He forgives when we are sincere and allows us to move forward. Repentance is therefore the corollary to accountability. We can seek forgiveness if we are sincere, repent, and we own our sins.

We are also accountable to one another. We hurt each other too easily and struggle to say we are sorry. It is more than this simple emotion. We need one another and, as true Christians, our accountability to God and to our brethren is fundamental. Paul illustrates this clearly for us in 1 Corinthians 12:20-26. Notice his words: “But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

Ultimately, we will stand before God and be accountable for what we’ve done in life. It would be better if we acknowledge this each day and correct ourselves when we must. This is the standard God has established for His people and for which we will be called to account.

by Norbert Link

We begin with events pertaining to Iran and Israel, and the shameful reaction and conduct of many countries. We also report on Biden’s and Germany’s appalling behavior towards Israel.

We speak on the Pope’s attack on Americans and continue with events pertaining to Ukraine and Germany’s pitiful actions in that regard; and address ridiculous war efforts, especially by Germany, to bring this world to the edge of utter destruction and devastation.

We report on controversial efforts to fight the right-wing AfD party in Germany; and address ongoing limitations on the developments pertaining to the American “justice” system regarding Trump and others.

We speak on the horrible Eurovision Song Contest; show the connection between the LGBTQ movement and Satanism; speak on the dangerous use of tattoos; and conclude with absolutely appalling developments pertaining to the American “justice” system regarding Trump and others. We also report on the miscarriage of justice leading to Trump’s guilty verdict in New York.

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

The Butcher of Tehran Dead

The New York Post wrote on May 20:

“Iran’s hardline President Ebrahim Raisi was killed when a helicopter carrying the reviled leader known as the ‘Butcher of Tehran’ crashed in a remote region of the country Sunday… Raisi, 63, his foreign minister and other passengers were found dead after the rescuers discovered the helicopter crash site early Monday. State news agency Mehr reported ‘all passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred.’ An Israeli official quickly denied the country had any involvement in the crash.

“Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with the final say on foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear program, said First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber would take over as interim president… Raisi was flying a US-made Bell 212 helicopter at the time of the crash…

“The crash comes at a time of growing dissent within Iran over an array of political, social and economic crises. Since Iran’s ally Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, provoking Israel’s assault on Gaza, conflicts involving Iran-aligned groups have erupted throughout the Middle East. A long ‘shadow war’ between Iran and Israel also broke into the open last month with tit-for-tat exchanges of drone and missile fire.

“Messages of condolence have been pouring in from Iran’s allies, including the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq and Pakistan. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Raisi ‘a true friend of Russia,’ while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was ‘deeply shocked and saddened.’…

“Under Iranian law, Mokhber will be president for a custodial period of 50 days, at which point an election must be held to choose Raisi’s successor. But the real succession drama would center around who steps up to be the Islamic Republic’s next supreme leader, a role currently held by 85-year-old Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei. Most pundits believed the likely competition to succeed Khamenei came down to a two-man race between Khamenei’s son Mojtaba and Raisi…

“Days after Iran’s failed missile and drone attack against Israel last month, Raisi rattled his saber at an annual military parade, threatening a ‘massive and harsh’ response should Israel retaliate, and warning that if Tehran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, ‘nothing would remain of the Zionist regime.’…  He was sanctioned by the US in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 known as the ‘death committee’ at the end of the bloody Iran-Iraq war… In 2022… Raisi unleashed a thuggish security crackdown on young people across the country that killed more than 500 people and saw more than 22,000 detained.”

It is quite interesting and telling to focus on those countries and leaders who quickly uttered their appalling condolences for the butcher and mass murderer Raisi.

Hypocritical EU’s Shameful Conduct

Breitbart wrote on May 20:

“European Council President Charles Michel, a Belgian centrist-liberal, was quick to make an expression on behalf of the whole European Union… ‘The EU expresses its sincere condolences for the death of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdollahian, as well as other members of their delegation and crew in a helicopter accident. Our thoughts go to the families.’

“Theo Francken, a [Belgian] Eurosceptic Member of Parliament… expressed concern at the European message. Responding first to the announcement that the EU was acting in ‘solidarity’ with Iran to help it in the immediate aftermath of the crash, the politician stated, ‘Are you totally crazy? This guy is a first class mass murderer. What’s next? Saving [Putin]? What a club of geopolitical dwarfs is this EU commission’.

“On Monday after Michel’s message of sympathy was broadcast, Francken responded again, calling it hypocritical for European leaders to express condolences to Iran while the regime is holding a European diplomat and aid worker hostage. He said: ‘Oh boy, European condolences for the death of a butcher and cruel mass murderer. Where are all those fake tears for Olivier Vandecasteele and Johan Floderus your EU diplomat who is still been kidnapped by the regime. You don’t speak in my name.’

“That Michel did not speak in the name of all Europeans gained some traction, and shortly after Geert Wilders, the right-populist presently working to form a new government in the Netherlands joined the call. Decrying ‘EU solidarity with evil’, he wrote Monday morning: ‘not in my name’.

“The earliest expressions of sympathy for Iran came from its allies worldwide, with statements published by the Chinese and Russian Presidents, India, Pakistan, and even OPEC. The Hamas terror group and Yemen’s Houthi militia, both militarily backed by Iran in their wars against the West, also sent ‘deepest condolences’…”

The EU, under German leadership, will turn out to be one of Israel’s greatest enemies.

Turkey Of Course

Newsmax wrote on May 20:

“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday expressed his condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, saying Raisi was a ‘valuable colleague and brother.’ ‘As a colleague who personally witnessed his efforts for the peace of the Iranian people and our region during his time in power, I remember Mr. Raisi with respect and gratitude,’ Erdogan wrote on social media platform X, adding Turkey stood by Iran in this difficult time.”

Nothing less could be expected from mass murderer and anti-Semite Erdogan. The Bible predicts horrible conduct by Turkey against Israel.

US Sends Condolences

Israel 365 News wrote on May 21:

“The US State Department on Monday sent condolences to the government of Iran, expressing grief over the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi…

“Despite the condolences, former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on state television that the United States was ‘one of the main culprits’ in the crash due to sanctions that affected Iranian aviation.”

Shameful!

A Moment of Silence

Israel Today wrote on May 21:

“Members of the UN Security Council, including the United States, observed a minute of silence on Monday in memory of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi… ‘The Security Council has simply become a danger to world peace,’ said… Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, in response to the event…

“‘What’s next: Will the Council dedicate a moment of silence to commemorate Hitler?’ he added.”

Good question!!!

“Iranian Supreme Leader Renews Pledge to ‘Eliminate’ Israel”

Newsmax wrote on May 24:

“At the funeral of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed when his helicopter crashed on Monday, the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reiterated his commitment to destroy Israel…

“‘The promise to eliminate Israel will be kept, and we will see the day when Palestine extends from the sea to the river,’ Khamenei said.”

Iran puts the world on notice, but the world chooses to be willfully ignorant.. or worse.

A Palestinian State?

MSN wrote on May 22:

“The Spanish, Irish and Norwegian governments announced Wednesday that they would recognize a Palestinian state, saying there would be no peace in the Middle East without it. Israel denounced the move as giving aid to its enemy, Hamas… In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered the immediate recall of the Israeli ambassadors to Spain, Ireland and Norway…

“More than 140 other countries around the world recognize a Palestinian state, but most are outside Europe. Before Wednesday’s announcement, only a few countries in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Sweden, had formally recognized it.”

Egypt vs. Israel

Al Jazeera wrote on May 12:

“Egypt says it will formally join the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice which accuses Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in the Gaza Strip.”

Biden—Jekyll and Hyde

The New York Post wrote on May 11:

“The deadly, chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and Biden’s decision to throw open the southern border without a plan for handling the millions of illegal crossers are just two of the many head-scratching decisions that have turned his tenure into a synonym for failure. A common thread is that his debacles were unforced errors. Doing nothing would have produced far better outcomes than the actions he took…

“Biden’s sudden military freeze smacks of a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. If the freeze stops Israel’s plan to eliminate Hamas, it will guarantee more Islamic terrorism and another war, which will mean more civilian casualties on both sides…

“Can Saudi Arabia really trust an administration that mercilessly undercut America’s closest ally?

“Should European allies be worried that they, too, will somehow run afoul of a White House that treats its enemies better than its friends? Then there’s Ukraine, which has another reason to worry, while Russia and China must be delighted to see American weakness in action…

“Biden remains unmoved by the evidence that he is playing with fire by appeasing America’s enemies and punishing its friends.”

The EU will become America’s enemy.

Biden’s Blackmail Beyond Despicable

The New York Post wrote on May 13:

“The Washington Post reports, citing four sources, that the White House has offered Jerusalem ‘sensitive intelligence to help the Israeli military pinpoint the location of Hamas leaders and find the group’s hidden tunnels’ if the IDF doesn’t go full-scale into Rafah… And this follows the freeze in many munitions the Pentagon was about to send over — including precision bombs…

“None of this makes sense except as a strategy for appeasing the pro-Hamas protesters… It’s beyond despicable, and yet another gross violation of the president’s oath of office….”

Biden Back Peddles…

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 15:

“The administration of  President Joe Biden has informed Congress of a planned $1 billion (€0.92 billion) weapons shipment to [Israel], official sources said. The weapons package includes $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million for tactical vehicles, and $60 million for mortar rounds…

“On Monday, national security spokesman John Kirby emphasized that the administration would continue to support Israel’s defense needs. Kirby said Biden is ‘going to continue to provide Israel with all of the capabilities it needs, but he does not want certain categories of American weapons used in a particular type of operation in a particular place. And again, he has been clear and consistent with that.’”

Clear and consistent? Laughable. It could not be more ambiguous.

Spain At War With Israel

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 17:

“Spain has said it will now refuse permission for ships carrying arms for Israel to stop at its ports, a day after it denied permission for a vessel to dock at one of its ports… Spain has been among the most critical voices of Israel’s Gaza offensive and is seeking to rally other European countries to accept the idea of recognizing a Palestinian state… Madrid has halted arms exports to Israel after it launched a military onslaught against the Palestinian, militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

ICJ “Orders” Israel to Halt Offensive in Rafah

Deutsche Welle reported on May 24:

“The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to [immediately] halt its [military] offensive in Rafah amid mounting international criticism… Though ICJ orders are legally binding, the court has no police or military force to enforce them, and Israel is unlikely to abide by the ruling, insisting it has the right to defend itself from Hamas militants…

“Similarly, Russia has so far ignored a 2022 order by the court to halt its… invasion of Ukraine.”

Note this ridiculous “order” in light of the next article.

Hamas Attacks from Rafah

Breitbart wrote on May 26:

“Hamas fired rockets at the Tel Aviv area [from Rafah] on Sunday, marking the first time in four months that a barrage reached central Israel from Gaza, and emphasizing the importance of Israel’s fight against Hamas in its last stronghold…

“Last week, The Times of Israel reported that the IDF believes Hamas has the capability to launch rocket attacks on central Israel from the Rafah area, and when troops advance further into the city, the terror group is likely to carry out such an attack… The fight against Hamas in Rafah continues…”

Germany to Arrest Netanyahu

Newsmax wrote on May 22:

“[Scholz spokesman Steffen Hebestreit] said Wednesday it will abide by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant and detain Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he step foot on German soil. The ICC on Monday issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes in its military response to Iranian-backed Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack. The ICC also issued arrest warrants [for] Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, its military leader Muhammad Deif, and its Qatar-based political leader Ismail Haniyeh on charges of war crimes.

“A dramatic appeal written in German and English and posted Tuesday on X by Ron Prosor, Israel’s ambassador to Germany was rebuffed by the administration of Prime Minister Olaf Scholz…  ‘This is outrageous!’ Prosor wrote… ‘The Chief Prosecutor [of the ICC] equates a democratic government with Hamas, thereby demonizing and delegitimizing Israel, and the Jewish people… He has completely lost his moral compass. Germany has a responsibility to readjust this compass. This disgraceful political campaign could become a nail in the coffin for the West and its institutions…’”

This is beyond appalling. But it shows where Germany’s alliances are. Note the next article.

Habeck’s Controversial Statements About Israel

MSN wrote on May 26:

 “For the first time, a member of the Federal Government, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens), has accused Israel of breaking international law in the war against Hamas. The Union finds the statements ‘completely incomprehensible and unacceptable’. All that can be heard from the traffic lights (Ampel collation) in the Bundestag about Habeck’s statement is silence…

“Habeck receives support from both the AfD faction and the Left Party.”

Compulsory Military Service Proposed in Italy

Euractiv wrote on May 21:

“Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini’s League party has submitted a bill to the Chamber of Deputies proposing a mandatory six-month period of military or civilian service for all young people aged between 18 and 26, while the far-right party’s centre-right allies, including Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, oppose the measure.”

Compulsory Military Service in the UK?

Express wrote on May 25:

“TEENAGERS will be signed up for compulsory National Service under bold new plans unveiled by Rishi Sunak. All 18-year-olds will have to take part in some kind of civic duty by enrolling for 12 months in the armed forces. Or they could instead opt to join the police, fire service or another body that does work in the community for one weekend every month. The Prime Minister announced his eye-catching proposal as he drew up the finishing touches to his general election manifesto…

“National Service – abolished 64 years ago – has only been in place in the UK twice in the modern era, once during the First World War, and again from 1939…

“The move comes as… a Labour government would give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote…”

 It is predicted that Sunak will lose the general election by a landslide.

Pope Attacks America

Breitbart wrote on May 12:

“Climate change has brought the world to the ‘breaking point,’ Pope Francis asserted in his introduction to a 3-day climate summit to be held in the Vatican in May. A firm believer in the climate ‘crisis,’ the pontiff wrote that he has ‘heartfelt concerns’ for ‘our suffering planet,’ contending that ‘the world in which we live is collapsing’ because of humanity’s failure to adequately address the crisis…

“Pope Francis has singled out the United States as particularly responsible for the climate ‘emergency’ because of the ‘irresponsible lifestyle’ of its citizens…”

What about China and other “polluters”?

In a related article, CAN wrote on May 12:

“On Mother’s Day, Pope Francis entrusted all mothers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking everyone to remember to also pray for all the mothers who have gone to heaven…”.

Except, no mother has ever gone to heaven, including the “Virgin Mary.” It would appear that the Pope doesn’t even know that!

Francis Attacks US Conservatives

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“Pope Francis… asserts that a conservative [especially referring to conservative Catholic bishops] ‘is someone who clings to something and does not want to see beyond that. It is a suicidal attitude.’… Pope Francis has never hidden his disdain for Americans… Francis asserts that climate change skeptics are ‘stupid’ to refute compelling evidence of a climate emergency.”

The Pope’s accusations against America are becoming more and more hateful, but are in line with the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Supernatural Events in the Catholic Church

The Independent wrote on May 17:

“The Catholic Church has had a long and controversial history of the faithful claiming to have had visions of the Virgin Mary, of statues purportedly weeping tears of blood and stigmata erupting on hands and feet mimicking the wounds of Christ. Church figures who claimed to have experienced the stigmata wounds, including Padre Pio and Pope Francis’s namesake, St Francis of Assisi, have inspired millions of Catholics…

“Francis himself has weighed in on the phenomenon, making clear that he is devoted to the main church-approved Marian apparitions, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, who believers say appeared to an Indigenous man in Mexico in 1531… When confirmed as authentic by church authorities, these otherwise inexplicable signs have led to a flourishing of the faith… That has been the case for the purported apparitions of Mary that turned Fatima in Portugal, and Lourdes in France, into enormously popular pilgrimage destinations…”

More of these lying wonders will occur in the near future.

Pope’s Stance on Guns and Condoms

Reuters wrote on May 10:

“Pope Francis criticised the weapons and contraceptive industries on Friday, accusing them of destroying or preventing life…

“Francis, 87, has long been a fierce opponent of the arms industry. He has also reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s longstanding ban on artificial birth control [including the use of condoms], though he supports natural [but very unreliable] ways of avoiding pregnancy.”

While he is right about the abuse of weapons, he is very wrong about the use of contraceptives.

China and Russia… the Everlasting Friendship

Express wrote on May 18:

“Sophia Gaston, head of foreign policy at Policy Exchange… noted that the relationship between the presidents of the two countries have an important connection, which should terrify the West. Xi and Putin see each other as allies in a parallel international and ‘multipolar’ world order that can challenge a Washington-led global consensus… ‘I do think that all those in Europe who have recently thought that perhaps they were making inroads with Xi around putting some pressure on Putin regarding Ukraine will have to take a really long hard look in the mirror.’

“This comes as Putin visits China to celebrate the 75th year of formal China-Russia relations. The visit is packed with gestures that underline the mutually beneficial friendship that has blossomed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Xi said the friendship between China and Russia was ‘everlasting’ and had ‘become a model for a new type of international relations’. Xi also described Putin as his ‘best friend’ and Putin said that Xi was ‘warm and comradely’ and ‘like a brother.’

“However, political commentators have said that Xi holds all the cards, with Putin eager to further the relationship with one of the only countries willing to help fund his war in Ukraine  Former US president Donald Trump has accused Putin and Xi of getting together to ‘do damage.’… ‘They are right now together working on plans [to] do damage, because that’s ultimately what they’re thinking about doing damage.’”

China and Russia will be allies in their coming war with Europe.

Coming… A European Army

wbj.pl wrote on May 18:

“… the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, just beyond the eastern border, has rekindled the European debate about the need to have its military potential…

“According to Eurobarometer research published in 2022, the vast majority of EU citizens (81 percent) support a common defense and security policy – in every EU country, this support is at least 2/3 of citizens. About 93 percent of EU residents agree that countries should work together to defend the territory of the Community, and 85 percent believe that defense cooperation should be strengthened at the EU level.”

Sending Troops Into Ukraine?

Fakti.bg wrote on May 9:

“The government in Warsaw will not simply stand behind the borders in case Ukraine is threatened with imminent defeat. Rather, it is much more likely that Poland will send troops into Ukraine ‘to prevent the worst’. Such an opinion was expressed by the former commander of the US Army in Europe, Ben Hodges, in an interview with the German publication T-mobile.

“At the same time, he imagines that Romania will also officially commit to the defense of Moldova.”

The New York Times wrote on 16:

“NATO allies are inching closer to sending troops into Ukraine to train Ukrainian forces, a move that would be another blurring of a previous red line and could draw the United States and Europe more directly into the war… Ukrainian officials have asked their American and NATO counterparts to help train 150,000 new recruits closer to the front line for faster deployment.”

According to the Ron Paul Institute, dated May 18:

“Last month, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur… said in the interview with the Austrian newspaper Die Presse that all NATO countries already have NATO personnel stationed in Ukraine, but that they aren’t directly engaged in hostilities as they are there in advisory roles… ‘The reality is that every NATO member country already has military personnel in Ukraine, such as military attaches or people who travel to Ukraine from time to time,’ the Estonian defense chief said…”

Sad State of Affairs in Ukraine

The Associated Press wrote on May 18:

“A divisive mobilization law in Ukraine came into force Saturday, as Kyiv struggles to boost troop numbers… The legislation… will make it easier to identify every conscript in the country. It also provides incentives to soldiers, such as cash bonuses or money toward buying a house or car, that some analysts say Ukraine cannot afford.

“Lawmakers dragged their feet for months and only passed the law in mid-April, a week after Ukraine lowered the age for men who can be drafted from 27 to 25. The measures reflect the growing strain that more than two years of war with Russia has had on Ukraine’s forces, who are trying to hold the front lines in fighting that has sapped the country’s ranks and stores of weapons and ammunition.

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also signed two other laws Friday, allowing prisoners to join the army and increasing fines for draft dodgers fivefold...

“The U.S. last week announced a new $400 million package of military aid for Ukraine, and President Joe Biden has promised that he would rush badly needed weaponry to the country to help it stave off Russian advances. Still, only small batches of U.S. military aid have started to trickle into the front line, according to Ukrainian military commanders, who said it will take at least two months before supplies meet Kyiv’s needs to hold the line.

“Thousands of Ukrainians have fled the country to avoid the draft since Russia’s all-out invasion in February 2022, some risking their lives as they tried to swim across a river separating Ukraine from neighboring Romania and Hungary…”

Germany Expels Ukrainian Soldiers

MENAFN wrote on May 19:

“The German government has taken steps to address concerns regarding Ukrainian soldiers wearing Nazi symbols while undergoing military training in the country. In a revelation made on Wednesday, Berlin disclosed that seven Ukrainian troops participating in military exercises were found sporting far-right extremist symbols. These soldiers were promptly expelled from the training program and sent back to Ukraine.

“According to estimates from the German military, approximately 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers received training on German soil in 2023, as part of the European Union Military Assistance Mission Ukraine (EUMAM UA) initiated in November 2022. German instructors, along with personnel from other EU member states, have been involved in training Ukrainian military personnel.

“The expulsion of the soldiers came to light in response to an inquiry by the right-wing Alternative for Germany Party (AFD). The German government clarified that incoming Ukrainian military personnel are explicitly warned against the use of Nazi insignias upon their arrival for training. Despite these incidents, Berlin sought to downplay the potential threat posed by Ukrainian far-right nationalists to any future peace process between Kiev and Moscow. The government emphasized that it does not perceive Ukrainian extremist nationalists as a significant obstacle to a possible peace process in Ukraine.

“Instead, the German government reiterated its stance that Russia’s imperialism lies at the root of the ongoing conflict, characterizing it as an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine that poses a threat to security in Europe.”

Scholz Works For Russia?

Focus wrote on May 20:

“[The Green Party] Anton Hofreiter is considered one of the harshest critics of the Chancellor when it comes to Germany’s Ukraine policy. Now he is making an outrageous accusation about Olaf Scholz…  After the invasion of Russian troops and while Scholz announced his ‘turning point’, Hofreiter demanded ‘more leadership’ from the Chancellery. In interviews last year he made it clear that in his opinion the ‘main problem’ lay in the Chancellery. And a few months ago, Hofreiter settled accounts with the Chancellor on the Taurus issue and accused him of ‘catastrophic defeatism’ and ‘dramatically poor communication’…

“Now Hofreiter has attacked the Chancellor again – and more sharply than ever before… ‘People who deal with this say the strategy is to always support Ukraine half-heartedly until Ukraine is ready to negotiate and give up large parts of its territory’…

“Hofreiter’s statements are highly explosive and contain an outrageous accusation… that Scholz only supports Ukraine pro forma and is actually acting in Moscow’s interests to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table…”

The outrage over Hofreiter’s statements, which have some merit, is downright ridiculous. Scholz just stated that Ukraine will not be a part of NATO for the next 30 years.

Ukraine Will Have To Give Up Territory

The Gateway Pundit wrote on May 24:

“Long gone are the days when Ukraine was at least winning the war on the western news sites’ headlines.

“Now, slowly but surely, the MSM has had to face the fact that the outmanned, outgunned and outmaneuvered Ukrainian forces will not win this war on the battlefield, will not get back to pre-war borders, much less reincorporate the Crimean peninsula… Colonel Oleksandr Bakulin… accepted that territory will need to be given up during negotiations…”

Poland’s “Transformation”

LifeStiteNews wrote on May 17:

“The mayor of Warsaw ordered the removal of religious symbols, i.e., crosses and crucifixes, from City Hall while urging employees to use transgender ‘pronouns’ and respect same-sex relationships… The ban on religious symbols will not apply to ‘religious symbols for personal use worn by people working in the office, for example in the form of a chain, tattoo or armband.’

“Going forward, events organized by the city hall must not include prayer of any kind… The document also notes that employees will be subjected to compulsory ‘diversity training.’”

Coming… Conscription in Germany?

Daily Mail wrote on May 12:

“Germany could bring back conscription for all 18-year-olds amid fears out an all-out NATO- war with Russia, leaked military plans reveal. Military planners are discussing three potential plans, two of which involve a compulsory military year for all men once they turn 18.

“It is understood that officials are in the final stages of discussions with German defence minister Boris Pistorius expected to go public with official plans next month…  Mr Pistorius, during a trip to Washington last week, said he was ‘convinced’ that Germany ‘needs a form of military conscription’. He also previously described the country’s decision to suspend compulsory military service in 2011 as a ‘mistake’. 

“In one proposal being considered by military planners in Berlin, all men and women would be subject to conscription once they turned 18. Germany’s previous policy on compulsory military service only applied to men. To include women would require changing the nation’s constitution… but ministry insiders reportedly believe the change would ‘most likely to receive societal approval’.

“Another proposal, which is viewed by the defence ministry as a ‘a strong signal’ to both allies and rivals, would only apply to 18-year-old men, but would not see everyone selected, the leaked reports revealed. Young men would be required to complete an online form and could then later be chosen for service.

“A third option under consideration avoids conscription and instead focuses on ‘optimising’ the current military system through more proactive recruitment campaigns.

“News of the defence ministry’s potential conscription plans comes just days after Vladimir Putin declared his nuclear forces were at full combat readiness in preparation for a global war…”

Recently, Pistorius became silent regarding conscription, leading Bild Online to assume that it was off the table. That conclusion is woefully naive and  premature.

Germans for Conscription

Bild Online wrote on May 12:

“46 percent are FOR compulsory military service, only 33 percent are against it. There is even greater support for general compulsory service (social or military service). Here 56 percent are in favor, 26 percent against…

“Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (57, CSU) is pushing the pace: ‘A master plan for the introduction of compulsory military service is needed quickly,’ said Söder…

“Until 2010, the military service law said: Every young man, if he is suitable, has to serve in the Bundeswehr for nine months. Former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) shortened conscription to six months and then suspended it from July 2011 during peacetime. Since then, compulsory military service has only been applicable in ‘cases of tension or defense’.”

This does not correspond with the information in the next article.

Germans Not Afraid of War

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 22:

“… only around a third of Germans (36%) believe a Russian attack on NATO territory by 2030 is likely or somewhat likely, while 48% consider it unlikely or somewhat unlikely. Only 23% consider it likely or somewhat likely that Germany could become the target of a Russian attack this decade. Some 61% consider it unlikely or somewhat unlikely… 39% are convinced that it is very poorly or rather poorly prepared for an attack.

“… only 30% of Germans would be prepared to take up arms to defend the country in the event of a military attack, while more than 50% would not fight.”

However, sadly, this will change.

Pistorius in Washington

Bild Online wrote on May 10:

“He is giving the speech at an elite university in the USA. But it is also directed at Germany, also at his own party – at the ditherers and pacifists among the comrades! Liberation Day was celebrated in Germany, the end of the Second World War 79 years ago. And now Boris Pistorius (64, SPD), Germany’s Defense Minister, stands in front of almost 250 students and professors at Johns Hopkins University in Washington and says: ‘We are ready to take the lead.’

“Who does he mean?

“Germany’s military and its political leaders – and probably himself too. It is HIS keynote speech. He is making HIS era! Title: ‘Steadfast, capable and ready: Germany’s security renaissance and transatlantic defense.’ An announcement to the world – and also to all his comrades and nostalgics who have long been calling him a ‘warmonger’. It’s Pistorius’ declaration of war…

“Germany needs to grow up militarily, says the Defense Minister!… Pistorius mentions China and Russia in the same breath, in the same sentence – as a common threat. The economic power of Germany should also become a military power… [a] strong leading military power!… a military power alongside the USA!… And for that… he wants ‘a kind of conscription’. Because: ‘We must ensure our military endurance in a state of national or collective defense… Defense thinking means thinking in worst-case scenarios. The time of the peace dividend is over… Germany is making national and collective defense its priority – this is new in German history.’

“Just as Germany benefited from the West ‘as a frontline state during the Cold War’, Germany will now defend the eastern border of the free West against Moscow: ‘Our particular focus remains the defense of our allies on NATO’s eastern flank… ‘From the far north to the Balkans, from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean.’ Otherwise: where our interests are threatened – i.e. worldwide…

“It all sounds like more… more than has been heard from the Chancellery so far. The speech: NOT coordinated with the Chancellery. Someone wants to lead. More than just the troops…”

More Money For War

ntv wrote on May 11:

“The head of the arms company Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, is expecting large orders from the federal government’s 100 billion special fund. ‘You can assume that in the end between 30 and 40 billion euros will come to us from the special fund,’ said the manager… ‘For air defense, trucks, ammunition, our share in the F35 program, and much more.’…

“The special fund for the Bundeswehr was made available by the federal government shortly after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022. However, the budget is expected to be used up by 2026. Papperger therefore called on the federal government to provide secure financing for the Bundeswehr for the period afterwards.

“If the Bundeswehr’s special fund announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz is used up, there will be ‘only two options’, said Papperger. ‘You can take on new debt or reallocate money from the budget.’ There is ‘no alternative’, said the manager, ‘either one or the other’. Because ‘otherwise the turning point [“Zeitenwende”] would be over in 2026’ and you would be ‘worse off than before’.

“Germany would then have ‘more military equipment’, but would no longer be able to ‘pay for its use’. You also need personnel… In order to play in ‘the same league with the Americans’, according to the Rheinmetall boss, large European defense companies would have to join forces. ‘We need a European arms champion.’…”

Manfred Weber for War?

Civilek.info wrote on May 10:

“War psychosis is increasingly prevailing among Western European politicians, and in the European Parliament election campaign, they are apparently trying to make as serious statements as possible on the pro-war side. The other day in the BR24 television program, for example, Manfred Weber, the [German] faction leader of the European People’s Party [and CDU member], stated… that “’we need a European nuclear weapon.’

“He said that if French President Emmanuel Macron offers France nuclear weapons to Europe, it is ‘an offer from France that we have to talk about.’… Manfred Weber has now said he is ‘disappointed’ that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the German government have been ‘reticent’ and that there has been no response to Macron’s proposal… [He also stated that he] supports the introduction of a general compulsory [military] service year.”

“Stephan Protschka, the president of the Bavarian AfD, accused Weber and the politicians who support him of inciting war…”

Pistorius Must Do MORE!

Bild Online wrote on May 15:

“The traffic lights [Ampel coalition] are putting pressure on Boris Pistorius (64, SPD): His own MPs are urging the Defense Minister to finally arm the Bundeswehr’s most important weapons (missiles, cruise missiles, artillery shells) for possible use. An extraordinary event!

“… the debate about a possible Taurus delivery to Ukraine revealed how poorly equipped the troops really are. The MPs learned to their horror that although the Bundeswehr had 600 of these important cruise missiles in storage, only 300 were actually operational. The other half would first have to be modernized. But the Bundeswehr has so far made no move to get the Taurus completely ready for an emergency. The manufacturer informed MPs that there is still no contract for the overhaul of the aging Taurus missiles. According to previous estimates, this would cost a three-digit million amount.”

The CDU opposition supports the traffic light decision. Note their statement:

“Pistorius and his machine are once again in a deep sleep. If Pistorius does not want to voluntarily go down the path to military proficiency, Parliament must show him the way.”

AFD Under Surveillance

Reuters wrote on May 13:

“A German high court on Monday ruled that domestic security services could continue to treat the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a potentially extremist party, meaning they retain the right to keep it under surveillance. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), charged with protecting Germany’s democratic order from extremist threats, has classified the AfD as potentially extreme since 2021.

“Judges at the higher administrative court in Muenster upheld a lower court’s 2022 finding that the designation was proportionate and did not violate the constitution, or European or domestic civil law. ‘The court finds there is sufficient evidence that the AfD pursues goals that run against the human dignity of certain groups and against democracy,’ the judges wrote. ‘There are grounds to suspect at least part of the party wants to accord second-rank status to German citizens with a migration background.’

“The potentially extremist designation means security services can wiretap the party and recruit informants inside it.”

Leading AfD Politician Fined

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 14:

“A regional court in the eastern German city of Halle ordered on Tuesday far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke to pay 100 fines at a daily rate of €130 each for using a banned Nazi slogan. 

“Höcke, the leader of the [AfD] in the eastern state of Thuringia, was accused of knowingly using the slogan of the Sturmabteilung (SA), or Storm Troopers… In 2021, Höcke allegedly said at an AfD rally:… ‘Everything for our homeland, everything for Saxony-Anhalt, everything for Germany.’ Prosecutors say Höcke, a former history teacher, knew that ‘Everything for Germany’ was a banned slogan of the SA. 

“He denied this during the trial, describing the phrase as an ‘everyday saying.’”

He is right. Note the next article.

Miscarriage of Justice Against Björn Höcke

Report 24 wrote on May 16:

“Björn Höcke is said to have deliberately used a Nazi slogan: Because he uttered the slogan ‘Everything for Germany’ during a campaign speech in 2021, he has now been sentenced to a fine totaling 13,000 euros. It’s just unfortunate that so far hardly any German has associated these words with the NSDAP and identified them as forbidden. Contemporary documents show: The alleged slogan of the Sturmabteilung was used by Christian trade unions as well as by Social Democrats during the Weimar Republic. Politically correct media have used them in recent years and decades, as have politicians from other parties. The use obviously only becomes a crime if the ‘perpetrator’ is an AfD man.

“In fact, countless users on social networks comment that they had never associated these three words with the National Socialists and that they were therefore not aware of the ban. Did you know them as SA slogans? At least not us in the editorial team. And even the left-wing taz, which normally celebrates every verdict against the AfD and its representatives, commented in an article: ‘Did you know that “Everything for Germany” is a forbidden slogan from National Socialism? Probably 99.9 percent of Germans didn’t know that until recently.”

AfD Bans Its Top European Candidate

Euro News wrote on May 23:

“… the AfD banned Maximilian Krah, its top European election candidate, from campaigning for the upcoming European election. He subsequently stepped down from the leadership role following internal party pressure.

“Krah recently copped backlash after he told an Italian newspaper not all members of the Nazis’ elite SS unit, which was involved in major war crimes during World War II, were war criminals.”

With these controversial measures, the AfD will lose supporters.

Report 24 wrote on May 24:

“But the real problem is not necessarily Krah’s statements about SS officers (incidentally, the left-wing Italian newspaper ‘La Repubblica’ explicitly addressed the officers and not the SS as a whole), but rather the perception of the AfD as a whole by the other parties…”

No Longer Tax Exempt?

Die Welt wrote on May 16:

“The non-profit [tax-exempt] status of the online blog ‘Der Volksverpetzer’ has been withdrawn. Co-founder and managing director Thomas Laschyk announced this in a video on Tuesday. We ‘suddenly no longer meet the requirements’…

“‘Der Volksverpetzer’ describes itself as an ‘anti-fake news blog’ on its own website. ‘We are committed to fighting hatred, agitation, fake news and conspiracy myths. The aim is to refute claims made by extremists and conspiracy ideologists through fact checks, for example. Publications from many media outlets are also criticized by the authors of the ‘Volksverpetzer’…

“Recently… it was announced in a letter that the blog would no longer be allowed to issue donation receipts from April 23rd. In addition, the non-profit [tax-exempt] status has been withdrawn – retroactively since 2021. There is therefore a risk of additional payments…. With the loss of the non-profit [tax exempt] status, the exemptions from taxes such as trade tax no longer apply. In addition, donations without receipts are not tax deductible – which is likely to reduce the willingness of supporters to pay… Laschyk claims… that the [IRS] has announced that the work of the ‘people’s rabble-rousers’ is too close to that of journalists. Journalism that serves the common good is currently not recognized as [having] a separate charitable purpose.

“The Frankfurt tax office had already revoked Attac’s non-profit [tax-exempt] status in 2019 because the organization, which was critical of globalization, had expressed itself too strongly in day-to-day politics. It is not uncommon for organizations such as ‘Volksverpetzer’ or ‘Journalistenwatch’ to operate in a legal gray area. The traffic light [Ampel] coalition declared in its coalition agreement that it wanted to create legal certainty for non-profit journalism. Which hasn’t happened yet.”

These are extremely dangerous developments.

Lauterbach’s Nonsense

Nius wrote on May 7:

“Karl Lauterbach is the first member of the federal government to say what must be the logical consequence of green politics: he announces restrictions for citizens. ‘It won’t work without restrictions,’ wrote the Health Minister at X. What this means: restrictions on eating, mobility, travel and consumption. That means: Citizens should restrict their lives in a wide variety of areas for the traffic light [Ampel] government’s climate policy… ‘Even inventors can’t change the fact that we eat too much meat, drive too much, travel too much and consume too much’…

“NIUS asked the Federal Ministry of Health what Lauterbach meant by ‘restrictions’ [and] how he wanted to implement them… The request remained unanswered.”

This is not just ridiculous nonsense, but it is dangerous nonsense.

“Was Eurovision Always THAT Bad?”

Daily Mail wrote on May 12:

“Once a family favourite to gather around the TV for, the Eurovision appears to have become an on-screen raunch fest with displays of near full-frontal nudity, thongs, and corsets. Eurovision viewers have taken to social media to slam the iconic song contest’s 68th edition which took place in Malmo, Sweden, after several artists stormed the stage in outfits that left little to the imagination.  After the finale last night, X… was flooded with comments about how ‘bad’ and sleazy’ this year’s performances were in terms of racy costumes and sets…

“But the tiny outfits and racy get-ups didn’t stop at the artists, as the UKs Olly Alexander, 33, turned up the heat as he performed his song Dizzy while surrounded by scantily-clad male dancers… the group of five danced provocatively against each other on the floor and against the walls of the set while engaging in the occasional suggestive near-kiss…

“Bambi, who describes themselves as a ‘queer witch’, performed their song while wearing a pointed black headband, dark lipstick, and sharp black nails… On Tuesday, a commentator on Kan warned viewers that Bambie’s performance of their song, Doomsday Blue, would be ‘the most scary’ of the night, involving ‘a lot of spells and black magic and dark clothing, Satanic symbols, and voodoo dolls’…

“Swiss act Nemo walked away victorious at the contest, where they become the competition’s first non-binary winner…”

Sick!

Satanism, Transgender and LGBTQ

Report 24 wrote on May 9, 2024:

“Baphomet (or the ‘Goat of Mendes’) [is] not only one of the most well-known symbolic figures of Satanism… but also [has] high status among transgender activists… half human and half animal, male and female, good and evil …

“In August 2018, Satanists from the Satanic Temple erected a seven-foot-tall statue of Baphomet as a symbol of Satan in front of the government building in Arkansas. In addition to the goat-headed God, this also showed two ‘smiling children’ who blissfully looked up at Satan…

“Back in August 2019, Satanic Temple co-founder Lucine Greaves announced that the temple would be comprised largely of LBGTQ+ people who felt rejected and disenfranchised by the traditional religious institution…”

Parents Cannot Refuse Their Children’s Participation in LGBTQ-Ideology

Breitbart wrote on May 16:

“A federal court… upheld a Maryland school district policy that does not allow parents to opt their young K-5 children out of curriculum about gender identity and sexuality…

“The Muslim, Jewish, and Christian parents… argued that the district’s refusal to allow their young children to opt out of reading of LGBTQQIAAP2S+-themed books or participation in the curriculum violated their right to raise their children in accordance with their faith and how their faith defines identity and sexuality. Parents also argued the material is not age-appropriate for such young students….”

Tattoos Linked to Cancer

The Daily Mail wrote on May 27:

“Tattoos have been linked to a deadly type of blood cancer for the first time. Researchers from Lund University in Sweden found that tattooed individuals had a 21 percent higher risk of lymphoma, compared to people without tattoos.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the white blood cells, which are crucial for fighting infections.

“The link is thought to lie with carcinogenic chemicals in the tattoo ink. When it is injected into the skin, it is be interpreted as something foreign and the immune system is activated, causing a low-grade inflammation in the body which can trigger cancer.

“Some 46 percent of 30 to 49 year-old Americans have at least one tattoo, while 22 percent of all ages, on average, have more than one.”

The Bible prohibits tattoos.

Trump and Biden Violated Constitution

Bloomberg wrote on May 24:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attacked former President Donald Trump on his response to the Covid-19 pandemic… ‘Trump presided over the greatest restriction of individual liberties this country has ever known. He did not stand up for the Constitution when it really mattered,’ Kennedy said… ‘I don’t recall any part of the United States Constitution that creates an exemption for pandemics,’ he said…

“Kennedy’s… independent campaign threatens the hopes of the major party candidates. With a national polling average near 10%, Kennedy is potentially the best-performing third-party presidential candidate in three decades. The outcome of the election could depend on whether Kennedy draws more support away from Trump or… Biden.”

The Guardian added on May 24:

“Kennedy, 70, brought Libertarians to their feet by promising to pardon government whistleblower Edward Snowden, currently exiled in Russia, and drop espionage charges against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder battling US attempts to extradite him from Britain…

“Kennedy accused Trump of allowing the government to abuse individual liberty during the pandemic. He said: ‘I think he had the right instinct when he came into office. He was initially very reluctant to impose lockdowns, but then he got rolled by his bureaucrats. He caved in and many of our most fundamental rights disappeared practically overnight.’ Kennedy earned further applause when he asserted: ‘All of our constitutional rights were ploughed under. They closed all the churches but they kept open the Walmarts and the liquor stores.’…

“He went to take aim at the current president, too. ‘When President Trump left office, the assault on the constitution intensified. President Biden violated a freedom so fundamental that James Madison didn’t even think to put it in the Bill of Rights.’ Kennedy accused Biden of ‘a programme of coercion and information control’ during the pandemic, repeating… claims that Biden colluded with the FBI to coerce social media sites to allow government agencies to carry out ‘an obscene orgy of federal censorship’. He said it went from ‘medical misinformation’ to ‘an entire censorship industrial complex’ that also suppresses critics of the war in Ukraine.”

The extreme left-wing Guardian stated that the “claims that Biden colluded with the FBI” were “unfounded” and that “Coronavirus vaccines were deemed safe and effective by the US government and its regulatory agencies as well as the World Health Organization. The first two years of Covid vaccines saved an estimated 3m lives in the US alone.” This unfounded and false propaganda is appalling. In what world does the Guardian live?

The Most Shocking Moment of His 60-Year Legal Career

Professor Dershowitz wrote on May 23 in the Daily Mail:

“I watched in disbelief as Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen told the jury one seeming lie after another… I wouldn’t buy a used car from this man, let alone rely on his testimony to send a presidential candidate to prison.  Most significantly, I haven’t heard any evidence that Trump committed a crime…

“Never in my 60 years of practicing law and teaching and writing about the U.S. legal system have I seen such a weak criminal fraud case… New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan should throw it out of court – and rule that Cohen’s testimony is so unreliable that the jury should not even consider it. This judge has the power to do just that… But he won’t. For even more shocking than the pathetic flaws of this case is the palpable bias that this judge holds against Trump.

After the defense called their key witness, former Cohen legal adviser Robert Costello, Judge Merchan made ruling after ruling denying Costello the ability to speak – inexplicably dismissing his testimony as hearsay and irrelevant.

“I was shocked, along with the other lawyers watching in the audience… the judge truly revealed his apparent unhinged prejudice against Trump when he exploded after Costello, a lawyer himself, expressed his surprise over the mystifying rulings. Merchan lost control over the perceived slight and angrily ordered the court police to clear the room… ‘Do you raise your eyebrows at me?’ Merchan shouted at Costello. ‘Did you stare at me?’ He sounded like a paranoid schizophrenic… Then Merchan threatened to exclude all of Costello’s testimony against Cohen from the trial. I was flabbergasted… the idea that a judge would punish Trump by denying him an opportunity to present evidence over the actions of a witness is preposterous. It’s unethical. It’s unconstitutional.

“So, could Trump be convicted despite all of this? Of course, he can. The Manhattan pool consists largely of people who voted against Trump and don’t want him to be elected in 2024. But the weakness of the prosecution’s case and the jaw-droppingly pervasive bias exhibited by this judge against Trump will provide him with an excellent opportunity to appeal if he is found guilty…”

Trump Permitted to Attend Son’s Graduation

The New York Post wrote on May 17:

“The 45th president was permitted to attend the ceremony by Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Juan Merchan, who called off the day’s planned proceedings in the ‘hush money’ trial of the onetime commander-in-chief.”

At least the totally biased judge conceded in this regard. Even he must have felt that prohibiting this would have been a bridge too far. But note the next article.

A Travesty of “Justice”

Miranda Devine wrote for The New York Post on May 26:

“Joe Biden is salivating at the prospect of his political archrival being convicted in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial in Manhattan, with jury deliberations set to begin this week. If Donald Trump is found guilty in the first criminal prosecution of a former president, it will be a travesty of justice and a clear attempt to rig the 2024 presidential election. But the ploy risks backfiring on Biden in the same way that Republican attacks on Bill Clinton over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky did…

“According to Politico, as soon as the jury comes back, Biden will deliver a statement addressing the verdict in a ‘White House setting — not a campaign one — to show his statement isn’t political.’… Nothing Biden can say will be cleansed of the taint of political dirty tricks… Biden is… trying to avoid fueling the suspicion that he weaponized the DOJ to go after his political rival, aided by Democratic DAs Alvin Bragg in New York and Fani Willis in Georgia, because he has nothing in the way of achievements or vision to run on in his own right…

“It’s clear to even Trump-deranged observers that Manhattan Supreme Court Acting Justice Juan Merchan is a political hack. He was cautioned last year by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct over donations, albeit modest, to Biden and other Democrats. His daughter, Loren Merchan, has been profiting from the trial through her consulting firm as her Democrat clients reportedly raise millions in campaign donations through emails citing the trial over which her father is presiding. It was a no-brainer for Merchan to recuse himself, and yet he refused, sullying the reputation of the New York legal system… Merchan has been a paragon of bias.

“He gave free rein to prosecution star witness Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, a convicted perjurer and con man who revealed in court that he stole $60,000 from the Trump Organization because he was angry his bonus had been cut… By contrast, the judge muzzled defense witnesses — if he allowed them to be called at all…

“Merchan’s handling of the trial has been such a disaster that any guilty verdict will almost certainly be overturned on appeal. But that will only happen after the election, which allows Biden to smear his opponent as a ‘convicted felon’ which, of course, is the whole point…”

A Rigged Trial

Newsmax wrote on May 29:

“Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law professor emeritus… attacked a New York State law that allows the prosecution [in the Trump case] to go last when presenting closing arguments, calling it unconstitutional. ‘How does a defense go first when it doesn’t even know what the crimes are that turned a misdemeanor into a felony?’ Dershowitz said. ‘They had to wait until they heard it from the prosecutor’s closing argument and then had no chance to rebut.’

“Dershowitz said if he was on the defense team, he would’ve said he had nothing to say and that he would wait for the prosecutors to present their case and then respond to it. ‘You can’t make me respond to a case I haven’t heard yet,’ Dershowitz said.”

Unconstitutional Jury Instructions

Breitbart wrote on May 30:

“Jurors in the Trump business records trial do not have to agree on what crime former President Donald Trump allegedly committed in order to convict him, but would just have to agree that he falsified or caused someone else to falsify business records with the ‘intent of committing or hiding that crime.’

“… according to the AP, the jury just has to unanimously agree that ‘something unlawful was done to promote Trump’s election campaign,’ but they do not have to agree on what that unlawful thing was.

“Conservative legal experts and media pundits criticized those convoluted instructions… Mark Levin, lawyer and conservative show host, called it ‘grotesque’ on Truth Social, posting:

“‘The grotesque trial charade gets even worse this morning. The Stalinist clown judge directed the jury that they can choose among three areas of crimes to convict the former president:

‘“1. Violations of federal election law (which no one in that courtroom is familiar with, and the judge specifically prevents Brad Smith from testifying about);

‘“2. The falsification of business records; and

‘“3. Tax violations.

“Of course, the issue for all of the above is the requirement of a criminal intent. Furthermore, the idea that jurors can pick 1 of the 3, and they don’t have to unanimously agree on which of the three, is another shocking development….’”

Trump Found Guilty

The New York Post wrote on May 30:

“Donald Trump has become the first former US president to be convicted on criminal charges. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on the morning of July 11 and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said Trump can remain free without bail until that date.”

Sadly, in the Trump-hating state of New York, with a corrupt prosecutor, a thoroughly biased judge, and a totally rigged trial with faulty jury instructions and many other appealable errors, this outcome was not unexpected. But it has been said that this obvious miscarriage of justice might guarantee Trump’s victory in November. 

Guiliani Fired After Raising “Election Fraud”

The New York Post wrote on May 10:

“Ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani claimed WABC radio canned him from his daily show to appease… Biden… The once-beloved ‘America’s Mayor’ blasted station owner John Catsimatidis as a hypocrite who touts the right to free speech while stopping Giuliani from ‘telling the truth’ about the ‘stolen’ 2020 presidential election… he was cut from the station’s ‘The Rudy Giuliani Show’ for allegedly violating a company-wide policy ‘not to state, suggest or imply that the election results are not valid….

“But according to Giuliani, he had never been told about the policy. Even more disorienting, he claimed the ‘stolen’ 2020 election was a main focus of his show, which he has been hosting since 2021. ‘Those of you who listen to me on WABC or this show are going to find it very, very strange to believe that there was such a policy,’ Giuliani said…

“Giuliani accused Catsimatidis of firing him in an attempt to get in good with the Democrats, who he claimed are gearing up to steal another presidential election.

“The canning — costing Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer his $15,000-per-month salary — is the latest in a series of financial blows. He faces a mountain of legal bills to fight criminal cases in Arizona and Georgia, where he was charged with trying to overturn the 2020 election — as well as multiple civil cases, including by the voting machine firms Dominion and Smartmatic…

“Giuliani, who is also a former federal prosecutor, had his law license suspended in New York City in 2021. He faces disbarment for ‘his utter disregard for facts,’ which ‘denigrate the legal profession,’ a panel said last year.”

That verdict is still out. And to have an alleged policy prohibiting to talk about the results of the 2020 election is more than telling and clearly constitutes censorship and the suppression of free speech. 

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

We explained before that God chose and knew those before time began whom He would call for salvation in this day and age. But does the fact that God knew those “called-out ones” a long time ago exclude those who would not be called for salvation now? To put it differently, did God know individuals a long time ago whom He would NOT call for salvation prior to Christ’s Return?

Consider this:

Since God knew YOU before the foundation of the world and chose you for salvation to be called now, then God must have carefully observed—or known—your forefathers or ancestors to make sure that you would be even born in the first place. This explains the many otherwise unexplainable events of protection and survival which your forefathers might have experienced in war or in other dangerous situations.

In addition, we point out in our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?”: 

In Ezra 1:1, we read that King Cyrus of Persia made a proclamation to rebuild the temple, in fulfillment of God’s prophecies in Isaiah 44:28 and Isaiah 45:1. It is interesting that these prophecies named Cyrus, even though they were written hundreds of years before Cyrus was born. However, even though God called Cyrus for a certain task, He did not call him to salvation…”

Please note carefully that God knew Cyrus, by name, long before he was born. He had not been predestined to be called for salvation at that time, but he was preordained to fulfill an important task in the line of prophetic events. Having said this, it means that God must have known Cyrus’ ancestry too to make sure Cyrus would be born and live to fulfill his prophecy.

God also saw to it that Cyrus would survive as a child. We are told that Cyrus was born sometime around 600 BC and was the son of Cambyses, king of the Persians, and grandson of Astyages, king of the Median Empire. Astyages was warned in a series of prophetic dreams that Cyrus would one day supplant and kill him. Astyages ordered his top general Harpagus to kill the child, but instead Harpagus had Cyrus taken away to live as a shepherd.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

Ecclesiastes 6:10 sets forth an interesting observation: “Whatever one is, he has been named already…” The Revised English Bible states: “Whatever exists has already been given a name”…

Paul makes a similar observation about God’s foreknowledge in Romans 9:10-13, when he discusses God’s mystery of election: “…when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’”

Again, it is implied here that God knew the older Esau and the younger Jacob, by name, before they were born, and that He had already called Jacob and rejected Esau, prior to their birth. In that sense, God “loved” Jacob and “hated” Esau—that is, He loved Esau less by comparison, insofar as the timing of God’s election was concerned.

The point to note is that God knew Esau, not just Jacob, before their birth… even though God would not call Esau for salvation during his lifetime. As God had known and chosen Jacob for salvation before time began, He must have also known Esau, whom He rejected, before time began.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

It is also noteworthy what is stated about Christ’s knowledge about His betrayer Judas. We read in John 6:64: “For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him”…

Christ knew that one of the twelve whom He chose was “a devil” (John 6:70). In John 17:12, Christ prayed to the Father, “Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Peter, one of Christ’s original apostles, later explained that Judas “fell” from apostleship, when he stated, “Judas left it and went to his place which was predestined for him.” (Acts 1:25; Die Grosse Bibel)…

Jude 4 reminds us of the following: “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation”…

Paul asked in Romans 9:22: “What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction…?” [Compare Proverbs 16:4: “The LORD has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.”].

It is implied here that God knew those individuals “marked out for condemnation” and “prepared for destruction” long before their birth. They were “called” by God to fulfill their destiny in God’s plan.This does NOT mean that they lacked free will (Judas, for example, DECIDED to betray Christ) or that they were predestined to commit the unpardonable sin. Even though God uses evil men to carry out His purpose, He does not “make” them commit the unpardonable sin. It is not as if they never had a chance. They will still get their chance to qualify for God’s Kingdom in the Second Resurrection. God NEVER predestines someone to end up in the lake of fire, just as He does not guarantee eternal life for those who are called to salvation.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

We have already read about an end-time political figure, called “the beast” in the prophecies of the book of Revelation. God has predetermined that this “beast” or political leader, as well as the government he will represent, will rule for “one hour” (Revelation 17:12). During this time, he will persecute God’s people (compare Revelation 13:7). We are told, in Daniel 7:25, that this Biblical term (“one hour”) means, in this case, 3½ years…

We also read about a future king of Assyria—none other than the “beast” in the book of Revelation—whom God will use to punish modern Israel (Isaiah 10:5-7, 12). God is using those individuals to bring about prophecy.

The beast—also called King Jareb of Assyria and the king of the North—will work together with the false prophet, a religious figure, to bring much evil to this world. God knows the identity of the beast and the false prophet, and He did so at least when the Book of Revelation was written. In fact, as the beast is the same as King Jareb of Assyria and the king of the North, He knew them already at the time when the books of Isaiah and Daniel were written; but in reality, He already knew them much earlier than that. They would not be called for salvation in this day and age, but they would be “called” for a particular task which had to be fulfilled prior to Christ’s return. To put it differently, Christ could NOT come back unless these events were to occur first.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

We find an additional statement of God’s foreknowledge and pre-appointment, regarding the existence of nations, in Deuteronomy 32:8: “When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.” This statement is highly remarkable because when God separated the sons of Adam (compare, for example, Genesis 11:8) and gave them their land, Israel, the son of Isaac, or Israel’s children, did not even exist.

The individual, called Jacob or Israel, would only be born many years later, and the nation of Israel would not emerge for many hundreds of years. Still, God says that He set the boundaries of the peoples “according to the number of the children of Israel,” stating that He knew that the children of Israel would exist in the future and implying that He even knew their number. Paul confirms this fact in Romans 11:2: “God has not cast away His people [Israel] whom He foreknew.”

This means, then, that God foreknew many members of the House of Israel and the House of Judah BEFORE they were born… and BEFORE those houses even came into existence. He had to preserve Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were predestined to be called for salvation during their life time—the ancestors of the Houses of Israel and Judah. In addition, He also preserved others in their lineage who were NOT predestined to be called for salvation in their lifetime, but who nevertheless were “called” to fulfill an important role, function and task.

There are many more aspects to consider which should motivate us to stand in awe when realizing God’s incredible plan, and all that is involved for its fulfillment.

For example, we read that Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (compare Revelation 13:8). We even read that He was foreordained to give His blood for mankind as a lamb without blemish and without spot BEFORE the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20). This means He must have known BEFORE creating Adam and Eve that mankind would sin and that He would have to die for man in order to bring about forgiveness with the potential of inheriting eternal life. This implies that God knew Adam and Eve before they were created. They were, in a sense, predestined and chosen to be called in their lifetime for salvation, but they rejected that call.

Later, God decided to destroy the earth in a flood. But it was clear that some would have to survive; otherwise, God’s plan for mankind and the prophecies given could not be fulfilled. And so, God “found” Noah, a righteous man who had been preordained and predestined to be called for salvation in his lifetime. He was “a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). But notice: We only read that Noah was perfect and that he walked with God. We do not read this about his wife, his sons and his daughters-in-law.

Still, in order to make sure that mankind would survive and produce offspring to replenish the earth, God had to save not just Noah, but also his wife and his three sons and daughters-in-law even though it does not say that they were righteous or called for salvation; only Noah was. Still, God did not only know Noah, but also his wife and family, and that long before they were born.

In addition, God had to save the Jews when at the time of Esther, Haman was determined to kill them, as Jesus would be a descendant of the Jews. So, He had to know at least some of them to make sure that they would survive. And God gave David a promise. David had been predestined and chosen before time began to be called for salvation during his lifetime. God’s promise was that there would always be one of his descendants sitting on his throne until the return of Christ (compare Jeremiah 33:17). So, God had to know them and protect and preserve them to make sure that they would fulfill His promise to David, even though the vast majority of kings and rulers sitting on that throne had not been predestined to be called for salvation during their lifetime.

There are certainly many more examples which we could give and our above-quoted booklet contains additional information. But what has been written here should suffice to show the incredible foreknowledge of God and His awesome plan for mankind. How great God is, and how small we are in comparison. As Paul says in Romans 11:33-36:

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?’ ‘Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?’ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

And it is this awesome and all-powerful God who has predestined and chosen you before time began to be called for salvation in this day and age. He wants to share His Kingdom with you. He wants YOU to be in His Family. Think about it.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Gibt es eine Vorherbestimmung für unbekehrte Menschen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Is There Predestination for Unconverted People?”

Das Evangelium – Gottes Auftrag und die Voraussetzung für das Ende,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon in Germany, presented by Marc Voller, is now posted. Title in English: “The Gospel – God’s Mission and the Prerequisite for the End.”

“Unser Glaube,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon in Germany, presented by Robert Muhr, is now posted. Title in English: “Our Faith.”

“Do We Know How to Pray?” last Sabbath’s first split sermon presented by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted.

“When the Time of Adversity Dawns,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted.