Egypt's Coming Transition

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Egypt's Coming Transition

Egypt's president recently turned 78 years old and a change of leadership is the subject of speculation. What does the future hold for this large Arab nation?

by Darris McNeely

On a recent trip to Egypt I was the typical tourist, traveling by bus to the major tourist sites at Giza and Luxor. We sailed on the Nile and put our lives in danger crossing the busy streets of Cairo. But behind the tourist façade, it was evident that Egypt has a measure of domestic turmoil that could lead to major changes in the future.



Armed soldiers are everywhere, not only at the tourist sites where terrorists struck in the past. In 1997 terrorists bombed a German tour group at Luxor. Now you see dozens of armed soldiers around hotels and shopping areas throughout the city. A little study into the current Egyptian political climate shows the soldiers are not only protecting the tourists but the political regime as well.



Since the start of this year, President Hosni Mubarak has made strong moves to stop dissent among political opponents. Charges of fraud have been made against a lawyer who opposed Mubarak in last fall's elections. Two judges who accused the government of rigging the elections are facing dismissal from the bench for making public comments. One of them, Judge Hisham Bastawisi, suffered a major heart attack last month, which aroused the seething anger of a sympathetic public, resulting in large public demonstrations against President Mubarak.



The Egyptian judiciary was responsible for calling the fraud of last year's elections. Thousands of judges called for reform that would create an independent judiciary. Reports suggest that these opposition judges are joined with a coalition of religious and secular organizations that seek an end to the Mubarak era.



Hosni Mubarak has been president since that fateful day in 1981 when religious fundamentalists stormed a reviewing stand and assassinated President Anwar Sadat. Mubarak sat next to Sadat that day and no doubt vividly remembers the brutal power of religious fury.



In recent weeks, protestors on the streets of Cairo have suffered beatings and some female protestors have been sexually abused. Laws governing presidential voting in Egypt are under the complete control of the president, despite limited reforms.



On May 25, 300 Egyptian judges stood in a silent protest on the steps of the high court in Cairo to press their demands for full independence. "We are calling for the independence of the judiciary…and our complete supervision of elections if there is to be supervision from now on," said Ahmed Salah, a judge at the protest. One observer said, "It's like Egypt has been reborn" (www.gulf-times.com).



Muslim Brotherhood



Last month more than 200 members of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested in the latest wave of demonstrations. This banned Islamic organization, whose roots are deep in fundamentalist Islam, has done well in parliamentary elections, demonstrating its broad base of support.



In recent months, the Muslim Brotherhood adopted a moderate position on political issues. Leaders continue to call for a democratic government that respects the rights of all minorities rather than establishing an Islamic state. Whether this would change should the group gain control of the government is another matter. So-called moderate approaches often are only skin-deep and merely mask the true nature of movements.



The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928. It is a religious, political and social movement with membership throughout the Arab world. Its mission seems summed up in its creed, "God is our objective; the Koran is our constitution; the Prophet is our leader; struggle is our way; and death for the sake of God is the highest of our aspirations."



In its early decades, it was a political and social revolutionary movement. In 1954, the group was implicated in a plot to assassinate then President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Since then, the government has treated the group as illegal, yet has shown the group sporadic toleration.



Present trends indicate large grassroots support. In last fall's parliamentary elections, Muslim Brotherhood candidates won nearly 20 percent of the seats. They now form the largest body of opposition to the government. Clearly the group will be a player in Egyptian politics going forward.



Last month President Mubarak turned 78, and while he still seems to be fit and in control, speculation has already started as to who will succeed him in office. That may be why we are seeing popular agitation over the electoral process.



It is well known that President Mubarak has been grooming his son, Gamal, to take over. But by all appearances, this is an unacceptable solution for most Egyptians. A sign of the Bush administration's awareness of this reality came last month when Gamal Mubarak was in Washington on private business and had a meeting with National Security Advisor Steve Hadley. While he was in this meeting, President Bush dropped by to greet Gamal Mubarak and to send his best wishes to his father, President Mubarak.



The United States is walking a fine line in Egyptian relations. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has been in the Middle East saying America would no longer stand by despots but would press for democratization in countries where absolutism prevails. The Bush administration's policy is to push democratic reforms. Iraq is the primary focus for this experiment in creating democracies in this volatile region. Critics of American foreign policy claim a double standard when countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia seem to get a "pass" for democratic reform.



The practical reality is that Egypt, and President Mubarak specifically, is a major ally in the Middle East. Egypt has been the recipient of more than $2 billion in direct economic assistance from the United States each year since signing a peace treaty with Israel in 1978. The Egyptian army is one of the largest and best equipped among Arab countries. America needs the support of this country. That is why it has ignored some of these "undemocratic" moves.



The question is whether this will prove to be a problem should a more fundamentalist Islamic government come to power in the future. This is what happened in the late 1970s when the shah of Iran, a key American ally, was deposed in the Islamic revolution that swept the Ayatollah Khomeini and other clerics into power. American intelligence failed to foresee this event, which has continuing repercussions on American influence in the region to this day. The loss of Egypt in a similar manner could lead to major changes, ones that would not bode well for Western interests in the region.



The Bible points to Egypt



The Bible centers on this area of the Middle East in the fascinating prophecy about the king of the South in Daniel 11. In this prophecy (set at the time of the end, prior to Christ's return to earth), a conflict arises between two figures, the king of the North and the king of the South.



Notice verse 40: "At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through."



Bible scholars have long identified the king of the North as the leader of a power centered in Europe. The king of the South is a leader of a power to the south of Jerusalem. (Directions in this and other biblical prophecies are determined from Jerusalem.)



Looking at the modern geopolitical picture, we conclude that this person, the king of the South, will likely be an individual who manages to unite the Arab/Islamic powers of the Middle East and mount some kind of push or attack that threatens the growing power of the king of the North. (We do not have space for all the details here, but please read our booklet The Middle East in Bible Prophecy for a more detailed examination of this prophecy.)



Who this person will be and exactly which nations will make up this southern power is not known at this time. History teaches us that times and events usually bring great men to power at the moment of crisis to lead major movements. Often these people come out of relative obscurity and can be someone least expected to lead powerful forces.



But to carry on with Daniel's prophecy, verses 41-43 show the path that the king of the North takes in his response to the move of the king of the South.



"He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels."



Egypt and Libya are two North African countries specifically mentioned. This power from the north will occupy them.



Why is Egypt targeted? Is it the political center of this southern alliance? Egypt has once before attempted to unite Arab power into one bloc. In 1952 Egyptian General Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrew the corrupt monarchy of King Farouk. His dreams of a pan-Arabic league of states were never fully realized.



As mentioned earlier, Egypt has a large, well-equipped modern army, among the largest in the Middle East. If this army were to form the nucleus of a regional force, it would be logical the country would be taken out by a counterattack. The Bible mentions these nations for a reason. We can only look at the current geopolitical scene and watch closely the events taking place in these areas mentioned in prophecy.



Egypt was the breadbasket of the ancient Roman Empire. Her political stability was crucial to the long-term prosperity of Rome. Egypt and its leaders attracted the interests of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Pompey. Perhaps the long ago battles and intrigues in that fabled land presage a future conflict that draws forces across its borders. Time will tell. WNP

U.S. Health Care: Will It Be Repealed by the GOP or GOD?

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U.S. Health Care: Will It Be Repealed by the GOP or GOD?


A commentary by Randy D'Alessandro

United Church of God pastor, Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan

Posted January 27, 2011

In 2010 Congress, after considerable debate, passed a landmark piece of legislation insuring that most Americans would receive some level of health care.



This legislation was largely the work of the Democratic Party that controlled Congress at the time. However, in the national elections of November 2010, the Republican Party made great inroads in the House of Representatives, taking control of that half of Congress. On Jan. 19 the House of Representatives voted to repeal the law. Of course, the Democratic Party–controlled Senate and the president will not go along with that move, so it is considered largely symbolic.



But is there another power that has something to say about—as well as the ability to provide—proper health care for all people? The answer is yes. The power that speaks loud and clear on this issue is none other than the great God Himself! The Bible speaks quite eloquently about the need for all peoples, in all nations (not just in the United States), at all times to have the blessing of excellent health and excellent health care.



What God says about health

This will all begin with the return of Jesus Christ to govern all nations. A critical aspect of insuring excellent health will be the proper education of all people as to what will bring about that desired end. The prophet Isaiah speaks to this.



"Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to…the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3).



Our great God has designed and created the laws governing excellent health. Those laws will be universally taught to all people for their benefit. Does it make any sense that an automobile manufacturer would include an owner's manual detailing what type of fuel to use in its new product, but that God would not include information on what types of food ("fuel") we humans are to consume for maximum health?



Let's focus on just one aspect of God's health-care plan for all peoples—His laws regarding the food we eat. Those laws, some of which are found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, include what should be eaten and not eaten so that our bodies are properly nourished.



The Scriptures tell us that in Christ's Kingdom the earth will abundantly produce health-giving, nutritionally rich foods needed for robust health. "'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it" (Amos 9:13).



God's health-care plan, free to all the earth's people, will properly educate mankind regarding the laws of health such as which foods are best to be eaten. Additionally, these foods will, themselves, have healing qualities and be in great abundance.



Divine healing

There is another aspect of God's health-care plan that I would like to briefly touch on. There will be divine intervention by Jesus Christ to heal those who have health disorders. As Christ did in His earthly ministry nearly 2,000 years ago, He will do again after He establishes His Kingdom on earth.



Note what the Bible says about Christ's ministry 2,000 years ago: "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people" (Matthew 4:23).



Now notice what prophecy says will take place after the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom on earth: "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing" (Isaiah 35:5-6).



We invite you to read our free booklet that explains in greater detail the coming Kingdom of God. The name of the booklet is The Gospel of the Kingdom. To understand more about the laws God has set in place regarding proper foods to be eaten, we suggest our booklet What Does the Bible Teach About Clean and Unclean Meats?

The Biblical Authors: Men of God and Science

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The Biblical Authors: Men of God and Science


Solomon, king of Israel, was a man of remarkable learning. The Bible describes him as having great interest and understanding in scientific disciplines. Solomon understood the movement of the prevailing winds about the earth and the hydrological cycle that brings rain (Ecclesiastes 1:6-7). He was a horticulturist, creating a great assortment of vineyards, gardens and orchards (Ecclesiastes 2:4-5).



He was something of a botanist and zoologist, understanding plants, animals, birds, insects and fish (1 Kings 4:33). He was a student of psychology, sociology and human relations, as demonstrated by the subject matter of the book of Proverbs.



But Solomon eventually realized that all his scientific, material knowledge did not bring him satisfaction. His life grew hollow and unsatisfying. His concentration on scientific knowledge, without proper emphasis on God's spiritual knowledge and understanding, rendered life meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18). He concluded, after much retrospection, that a man must put the knowledge of God first: "This is the end of the matter: you have heard it all. Fear God and obey his commandments; this sums up the duty of mankind" (Ecclesiastes 12:13, Revised English Bible).



Moses is another example of a man trained in the physical sciences but blessed with spiritual understanding. Moses was educated "in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (Acts 7:22). With the guidance of God he could separate the good from the bad, and undoubtedly his early education was of great help in his life of fulfilling God's calling to lead his fellow Israelites out of Egyptian slavery and to govern a nation.



Other men of God were educated in the intellectual pursuits of their day. The prophet Daniel was a brilliant student brought up in the royal academy of the Babylonians (Daniel 1:4). The Babylonian Empire of Daniel's day dominated the world and was scientifically advanced, particularly in astronomy.



Daniel apparently saw no conflict between the scientific truths the Babylonians had discovered and the knowledge of God that he had held from his youth. Indeed, he thrived, serving rulers of the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires as a high-ranking government official. Daniel's education did not undermine his faith in God. He knew God's Word to be true and inviolable and saw no conflict between scientific knowledge and Scripture.



We must study the Scriptures to gain eternal life (John 5:39). But, as time and inclination allow, we should study the physical sciences as well. In so doing we will gain a deeper appreciation of the world our Creator has made and increase our faith and understanding of Him.



The apostle Paul understood that man stands to learn a great deal about His Creator by observing His creation: "Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible nature—his eternal power and divine character—have been clearly perceptible through what he has made. So they have no excuse" (Goodspeed's American Translation). The Wall Street Journal put it this way: "If a little science takes one away from God, a great deal of science brings one back to him" (Oct. 10, 1994).

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Debt Troubles Mount for Britain and America


The late French President Charles de Gaulle once dismissed the United States and Britain as "the Anglo-Saxon debtor nations." Four decades later, their enormous debt is forcing the two countries into a period of dramatic change.

by Melvin Rhodes

It's now official.



When I was at school in England in the 1950s and early 60s, we were taught that the two primary functions of government were "defense of the realm" and maintaining a strong and stable currency.



That's now changed.



Faced with increasing financial problems due to years of overspending, Western governments are having to cut their big budgets. This includes the United Kingdom, which is having to cut billions of pounds in government spending to bring down the nation's debts. Austerity—strictness in curtailing spending—is the constant refrain.



All government departments were told to submit plans for massive reductions in spending, with the exception of two departments considered sacrosanct—health and overseas aid.



Defense is to be slashed amid fears that the country will no longer be able to defend itself. There is even to be some sharing of major military hardware with France—including an aircraft carrier!—so that both countries can save money. This is rather ironic when we consider that the British have fought France more times than any other country!



Clearly, "defense of the realm" is no longer the government's foremost priority.



There are also to be cuts in welfare and other forms of government assistance. When it was announced that government support for rent was to be capped at £400 per week (about $630), the Conservative mayor of London, Boris Johnson, charged his colleagues at Westminster of "ethnic cleansing" (he later softened his stance somewhat).



This was a reference to the fact that many of those in London receiving assistance are nonwhite immigrants and their adult children. Housing in London is extremely expensive, and news reports have frequently highlighted families that receive thousands of pounds every week to help them remain in their homes. (One British pound equals approximately $1.60.)



What's happened to the United Kingdom?

A century ago, the United Kingdom was the greatest military power in the world. The country was also the greatest investing nation, accounting for almost 50 percent of all international investment on the eve of World War I in 1914.



Yet by 1916, halfway through the "war to end all wars," the United Kingdom was borrowing heavily from the United States. The country still remained a global superpower right through World War II. Even in 1953, at the time of Queen Elizabeth's coronation, it was a major military and political power.



But by the 1950s it was in rapid economic decline. Contributory factors were a lack of competitiveness and government control of much of the nation's production. Added to these were rising welfare and health costs, a consequence of the postwar welfare state introduced by the government elected after the war ended in 1945.



For more than six decades Britain has been gradually reducing its military spending, effectively to finance its ever-increasing welfare and health costs.



Bible prophecy helps us understand

Regular readers of this magazine know that modern-day Britons are largely the descendants of the biblical half-tribe of Ephraim. God promised Ephraim and his brother Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, incredible blessings for their descendants.



Manasseh was prophesied to become a great nation, whereas Ephraim was to be a "multitude of nations" (Genesis 48:19), a prophecy fulfilled in the former British Empire and Commonwealth, as explained in our free booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.



The empire was still fairly intact when Queen Elizabeth assumed the throne on her father's death in February 1952. Today, it has almost all gone, a reflection of the great decline the country has undergone during the reign of just one monarch.



The Old Testament prophet Hosea addressed his prophecies to modern-day Ephraim. Many reject that the prophecy is about our time, but a passage in chapter 5 of the book of Hosea shows that it was not a message intended for ancient Ephraim. In Hosea 5:5 we read that Israel and Judah will both fall and stumble within a period of 30 days, the "New Moon" referred to in verse 7.



This did not happen in ancient times. The 10 tribes comprising the kingdom of Israel, of which Ephraim was a part, fell to Assyrian invaders more than a century before the kingdom of Judah was overthrown and crushed by the Babylonians.



The decline of present-day Ephraim has a lot to do with the country turning away from God. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 show the connection between a nation's obedience and blessings or disobedience and negative consequences.



One of the consequences of disobedience is economic decline, which the country is feeling now as it struggles with a heavy burden of debt. This is not new. The late French President Charles de Gaulle once referred to "the Anglo-Saxon debtor nations" when rejecting Britain's bid to join the European Community (now the European Union).



He was talking about the United Kingdom and the United States, whose modern economies have been built on massive borrowing. (It's ironic, but more than 40 years later France also wrestles with its own serious debt problems!)



One of the reasons for Ephraim's economic decline is Britain's 50-year obsession with Europe. The 1957 Treaty of Rome pledges member countries to form "an ever closer union." Gradually, since joining in 1973, Britain has been losing more and more of its sovereignty and has traded places with others in Europe.



The country that once led Europe economically is now behind both Germany and France and is on a par with Italy as an economic power. Britain is a net contributor to the EU, which means it subsidizes other countries in the Union to the tune of billions of pounds each year.



Hosea 7:9 says that "aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it." Whereas this certainly applies to the drain from the EU, it is also applicable in other ways. While on the surface a commitment to maintain overseas aid at its former level during a period of austerity may seem generous, it is difficult to understand how this should take precedence over the "defense of the realm." After all, if the country suffers defeat in war, there will be no aid to give to anybody!



Even more curious is the fact that India is the foremost recipient of aid from Britain—the same India that is fast becoming an economic superpower! Other recipients include nations ruled by dictators who notoriously pocket a great deal of the money for themselves!



"Aliens have devoured his strength" at home too, as Boris Johnson's comment on housing and subsidizing immigrants testifies. It's well known in the United Kingdom that the country's generous welfare system and free health care attract many to the nation's shores. While many contribute to the country, huge numbers of other immigrants require financial help with housing, health care and financial support for their children.



Is the United States any different?

While Britain's priorities have changed since World War II, the country has always known it could, in the end, rely on the United States to defend it in the event of a major conflict. Britain itself has contributed to America's wars, and the expectation is that the United States will always provide a military umbrella if the United Kingdom were attacked. But can the United States fulfill its military obligations at a time when U.S. debt is at record levels?



The United Kingdom and some other countries are in a time of austerity. America's debts are just as bad. The only reason why the United States has gotten away with it longer is because the U.S. dollar is the world's reserve currency.



This means that many countries willingly take American dollars as payment for goods because they can use those dollars to buy oil and other commodities from many different countries. The United States has even been able to print more dollars seemingly without too much concern, an option the United Kingdom and other nations can't normally exercise without serious negative consequences.



But now some countries are clearly turning away from the dollar. At the November 2010 G20 meetings in Seoul, South Korea, Germany, China and Japan all called for an end to the dollar's role as the world's reserve currency, due to anxiety over reckless U.S. government policy in printing more money to stimulate the economy. On Nov. 24, 2010, the China Daily website carried the headline "China, Russia Quit Dollar."



The article, written from St. Petersburg, Russia, began with the following: "China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade, Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced late on Tuesday."



Major changes looming for the United States?

A U.S. congressional committee looking into ways to reduce the nation's debt is advocating cuts similar to those in Britain—including a call for reduced military spending. Just as Britain's policing of the world, a job it had done for two centuries, was overtaken by other priorities for the British after World War II, so America will follow suit.



U.S. News and World Report publisher Mortimer Zuckerman, in the December 2010, issue, summed up what has become the new economic reality for many Americans. Titled "Tax Hikes, Fewer Benefits Key to Federal Deficit Crisis Fix," the article was more ominously subtitled, "Americans feel anxiety without pause as millions fall out of the middle class."



Zuckerman states: "The dominant mood in America today is one of anxiety without pause. Millions of decent, self-reliant, regular Americans who had begun to fear that the prolonged recession means the American dream is over for them now brood that their children and even their grandchildren are also to be denied the prospects of the good life they took for granted just a decade ago.



"Once, the vast majority thought they were in the middle class, not rich and not poor. Today, more and more Americans are starting to identify themselves with lower economic groupings and see no prospects of moving higher, whether in terms of job opportunities or earnings. The fear has grown that years of hard work will no longer translate into a better life for themselves and their families.



"The new normal is that millions of them are facing the risk, or the reality, of falling out of the middle class, losing all that this once meant in America—financial independence, sending your kids to college, having equity in your home, choosing where you live.



"Today, people in their 20s are hard-pressed to get jobs, and those who do are taking them at incomes lower than they ever imagined. For those who are surviving as middle-class families, they are facing years of financial insecurity."



In an earlier Aug. 26, 2010, article by Zuckerman titled "The Most Fiscally Irresponsible Government in U.S. History"—subtitled "Current federal budget trends are capable of destroying this country"—he wrote: "There is another instinctive conclusion among the American people. It is that the national deficit, and the debts we have accumulated, are of critical political importance.



"On the national debt, the money the government has spent without the tax revenues to pay for it has produced mind-numbing numbers so large as to be disconnected from reality. Zeros from here to infinity. The sums are hard to describe; it is hard to describe an elephant, but you know one when you see one. The public knows that, shuffle the numbers as you may, the level of debt is unsustainable.



"Who could be surprised since millions of voters have discovered that for themselves? As one realizes the morning after the night before, there is an unavoidable penalty for excess."



Heading down the road to ruin

The United States is clearly going down the same path as the United Kingdom, its predecessor as global superpower. Only a few decades ago the United States was the world's greatest lending nation. Today it is the largest debtor nation. By some estimates, when all of America's debt is added to its future obligations to fund Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the nation's true debt is more than $50 trillion—a staggering half million dollars for each American household!



With both Britain and the United States clearly in a period of financial decline, three questions loom with global implications: Where are these nations headed now? Who will be the new global leaders? And how will these developments transform the world in the next few years?



As for you personally, will you be ready? GN

Could the Dollar Fall?

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Could the Dollar Fall?


Could the dollar be challenged and replaced by another world currency? Will something that until recently was "unthinkable" become a reality? The global financial slump is challenging long-held assumptions.

by Beyond Today host Darris McNeely

Several recent headlines in London's Financial Times illustrate a continuing thought among world financial leaders. The first headline said, "Brazil and China Eye Plan to Axe Dollar." "China Attacks Dollar's Dominance" read another. A third spoke of "De-Dollarization and the Ending of America's Financial-Military Hegemony." Another spotlighted the lack of confidence in American financial leadership: "Dollar Falls as Geithner [the U.S. Treasury Secretary] Hails Recovery Hopes."



Warning shots are being fired across America's bow. Many want an end to the era of the dollar as the world's reserve currency. If that happens, your financial world will be forever altered.



Could this happen?

The United States is now the world's largest debtor nation ($10.6 trillion). And China owns more of that debt than any other nation—more than $800 billion. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has publicly expressed "worries" over China's significant holdings of U.S. government bonds, which ties China to America's good times and its bad times.



China is concerned that the U.S. Treasury bills (T-bills) and bonds it holds will lose much of their worth if the dollar is devalued or the financial crisis does not turn around.



By calling for the creation of another reserve currency, China, Russia and other nations seek insurance for their economies against the problems generated when one country's economy goes bad. They also seek to end American dominance over the world economy. America's decline and China's rise fit their geopolitical ambitions.



Ending the dollar's role in the world economy is not an easy matter. The Wall Street Journal stated: "The technical and political hurdles to implementing China's recommendation [to create a new standard world currency to replace the dollar] are enormous, so even if backed by other nations, the proposal is unlikely to change the dollar's role in the short term.



"Central banks around the world hold more U.S. dollars and dollar securities than they do assets denominated in any other individual foreign currency. Such reserves can be used to stabilize the value of the central banks' domestic currencies" ("China Takes Aim at Dollar," March 24, 2009).



Will the dollar's reign soon end?

Before the dollar, the British pound sterling formed the underpinning of the global economy. It took two world wars and several decades for the world standard to shift from the pound to the dollar. Since the end of World War II, the dollar has been king.



Although the current financial problems ignited in America have led to a global meltdown, it will take more than what we've experienced so far to topple America from its current role. That is not to say this could not or will not happen.



Creating another world currency requires several factors to be in place. Research analysts at the private intelligence agency Stratfor outlined what those factors would be:



"As to a world beyond the dollar, the issue is that a reserve currency is not decided upon; it creates itself. Two things are needed to create a reserve currency. First, there must be sufficient liquidity to support a global system. That requires a central bank with an enormous amount of autonomy from a state government, and the U.S. Federal Reserve is unparalleled on this count. Not even the European Central Bank can compete.



"Second, the economy upon which the currency is based must be large enough to withstand fluctuations caused by other economies buying and selling its assets in massive amounts. Again, the United States is the only economy that potentially could qualify.



"Part and parcel of any replacement of the U.S. dollar would be a large-scale abandonment of U.S. T-bills as the core of Chinese currency reserves, which—as the conventional wisdom holds—would force intractable economic problems upon the United States. But a closer look reveals that this is not the case.



"First, selling U.S. T-bills en masse simply is not possible. Every seller requires a buyer, and the volumes at hand cannot be exchanged quickly. Second, starting down that road would cause the value of the securities in question to plummet, destroying the savings the Chinese have been building up for years. The so-called 'nuclear option' really is not an option at all" ("China's Calculated Currency Rhetoric," March 25, 2009).



China has its own problems. The huge middle class created by their recent boom is beginning to experience layoffs and financial setbacks. The ruling Communist Party cannot afford discontent from this segment of its society. Once people have tasted materialism, they won't go back. For now it's in China's interest to blame a foreign power (America). It deflects attention from the home front.



Yet clearly, China is playing a very dangerous geopolitical game with calls for a new reserve currency.



What would it mean for Americans?

Since the end of World War II, the dollar has been the dominant world currency. For most living Americans, this is the world into which they were born. This is all they have known. Americans enjoy one of the world's highest living standards due to the stability and wealth created by America's dominant economic role.



So what would it mean for the American consumer if the dollar were no longer the world's reserve currency?



Everything Americans import would cost more—everything. Americans would have to buy the new currency in order to trade in world markets. Last year's $4-per-gallon gasoline would quickly look like a bargain.



The credit market would collapse. Investors would flee toxic assets, further locking up the economy.



The U.S. Federal Reserve would print more money to combat the credit squeeze, with the likely result being hyperinflation, meaning higher prices for available goods. Remember the stories of Weimar Germany after World War I when it took a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a loaf of bread? Not pretty.



American power and influence in the world would seriously decline. Little understood today is the role of the economy in shaping and controlling world events. The dollar's place in the world adds incalculable weight to American influence. With the dollar diminished, that influence would be reduced substantially. Russia and China are waiting for their turn to assume that power, but they would certainly meet with competition from the European Union.



Big losers from the fall of the dollar would include Japan and Latin America. Because they hold much of America's debt, China and the oil-rich Persian Gulf states would also see huge losses. Israel and Egypt would suffer as well because of massive amounts of American aid they would lose. What this would mean to the Middle East calculus is unknown, but Egypt could be destabilized as a result.



World politics would be altered. The vacuum of power created would be contested. The EU, which stands to gain from the fall of the dollar, would be among the chief contenders. China would no doubt make a play as well, but a number of factors would hinder its bid. Stability would arise from the potential period of chaos with another power becoming the global economy's main engine. America's time in the sun would be over.



American lifestyles would change radically. The end of cheap oil, low interest rates and deficit spending would mean a lower quality of life and higher taxes. What this would mean to the social fabric of the nation is unknown. But Americans' way of life would dramatically change.



This last point speaks to the character of the American people. Do they have the same qualities that helped a prior generation survive the upheaval of a Great Depression and World War II?



America losing the pride of her power?

Those pushing to create a different world are no doubt working hard to bring about the demise of the dollar and the end of America's dominant role in the world. In The Good News we have spoken before of America's prophesied loss of "the pride of [its] power" (Leviticus 26:19). While military might is what we think of first in this regard, economic factors are also important here. The dollar losing its reserve currency status would radically change America's leading role in the world.



For one, America's crippling foreign debt would get worse with decreased ability to finance the burden. In time the country would be at the mercy of those holding its obligations, with little room to maneuver. Economic enslavement to other nations would be on the horizon.



However, it's unlikely that this will happen immediately. China and several Arab states hold too many dollar-denominated instruments to see this change. As mentioned, they would lose too much. Right now the United States is too big, too rich and too powerful for them to allow it to fail. There is too much at stake on the global scene.



That does not mean things couldn't change—and change quickly—but the proper circumstances have to be in place.



It will not happen until the God of heaven allows it to happen. God has blessed America with its wealth, power and resulting prestige. He will move to change that when it fits His timing for His great plan for all the nations.



Until then we have days to live and many lives to touch. We have character to develop and mistakes to correct. We have days to love those close to us and, above all, time to discover God and His attention to the details of eternity, history and our lives. Make the most of the time while you can. GN







Related Resources

The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy

Where does the United States of America appear in Bible prophecy? Does Bible prophecy neglect to mention major nations such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom? In fact, many prophecies do mention these nations.



What's Behind the Falling Dollar?

With a barrel of oil near $100 and the dollar recently falling 16 percent against other currencies, Americans need to understand what's behind the falling dollar and what the consequences will be for them

Triple A Rating Is Not Forever: Moody's and S&P Warn of U.S. Debt Downgrade

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Triple A Rating Is Not Forever: Moody's and S&P Warn of U.S. Debt Downgrade


By Howard Davis

Good News magazine writer, Portland, Oregon

Posted January 20, 2011

In just the last minute, the U.S. Debt Clock.org website showed the U.S. national debt increasing $1,400,000 and change—the digits fly by so fast they blur in front of my eyes. They not only boggle the brain, but the numbers seem meaningless as I sip coffee at my neighborhood Starbucks looking at a sea of late model cars in the parking lot.



The numbers dizzily flash upward. Debt per citizen: $44,998. Debt per taxpayer: $126,844, with $1.331776750 trillion added this year alone to the national debt.



Surrounded by global brand name stores beyond the parking lot, I watch the numbers mount up on the world's biggest name brand—the United States of America—as it lunges toward the greatest bankruptcy in history.



It could change. The U.S. people and their leaders could make the sacrifices needed to turn things around. But there is nothing so far—beyond rhetoric—indicating that the government will do what would be necessary.



But if the U.S. government doesn't change its gargantuan deficit spending, its credit rating could be downgraded in the next two years, according to senior spokespeople for Moody's and Standard and Poor's. Both are the world's leading credit rating agencies. They determine whether investors will buy the debt bonds of nations throughout the world and at what interest rates.



"We have become increasingly clear about the fact that if there are not offsetting measures to reverse the deterioration in negative fundamentals in the U.S., the likelihood of a negative outlook over the next two years will increase," said Sarah Carlson, senior analyst at Moody's.



If the rating is lowered, experts agree there would likely be a wholesale departure from U.S. debt, which means the United States could see a collapse of the dollar. This could quickly cause the global financial structure to explode or, just as dire for the United States, it could force all the rest of the world's leaders to quickly construct a new financial structure without the United States.



Then, all America's debt numbers would grind to a halt. The creditors would foreclose.



For analysis of the prophetic implications of the U.S. debt crisis, see "Debt Troubles Mount for Britain and America" and "Could the Dollar Fall?" here http://www.ucg.org/commentary/triple-a-rating-not-forever-moody-sp-united-states-debt.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GoodNewsMagazine+%28Good+News+Magazine%29

The End of the World: What Does the Bible Say?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

The End of the World: What Does the Bible Say?


For centuries people have read the Bible and concluded that the world will come to an end. But will it? If so, how? What do the Scriptures teach about the end of the world?

by Noel Horner

Nearly two millennia ago the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth asked Him a question that has intrigued people ever since: "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3, King James Version).



People in every generation since have wondered about this. Will the world literally end? If so, how? Why? And when? What does the Bible really say about this crucial and disturbing question?



Religious people aren't the only ones asking these questions. In recent decades people from many walks of life have expressed concern about the possibility of the end of the world as we know it. Politicians, educators and scientists foresee the potential destruction of our world from a number of causes—including nuclear warfare, environmental disaster, planetary pollution, overpopulation, killer diseases and collision with a comet or asteroid.



Potential devastation from the sky

Although some of these possibilities are unlikely, others present a real threat. Based on the increasing number of gigantic impact craters discovered in recent years, scientists believe that a collision between earth and a killer asteroid is inevitable.



What would be the result of such a violent encounter? "An asteroid only a kilometer across would create cosmic havoc by impacting on the earth," writes Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at City College of New York. ". . . The shock wave would flatten much of the United States. If it hit the oceans, the tidal wave it created could be a mile high, enough to flood most coastal cities on earth" (Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century, 1997, p. 317).



In 1908 a meteor or comet exploded over a remote area of Siberia. Though it was relatively small, with an estimated diameter of only about 50 yards, it flattened 1,000 square miles of forest, felling 80 million trees. The energy released by that celestial missile is estimated to be about equal to that of a large hydrogen bomb. The resulting tremors were recorded as far away as London. (To learn how such events might tie in with Bible prophecy, see "Will Civilization End in Global Cataclysm?")



The increasing nuclear threat

Experts generally agree that, of all possible means of destroying humanity, nuclear weapons pose the greatest threat.



And the genie cannot be put back in the bottle. Austrian theologian Ulrich Kortner put it this way: "The nuclear threat . . . constitutes not a temporary, but rather an irrevocable global threat. The actual possibility of an end to all life is now a constituent part of our reality" (The End of the World: A Theological Interpretation, 1995, pp. 229-230, emphasis added).



Some sober scientists go even farther, saying that nuclear annihilation is inevitable. The late Carl Sagan, perhaps the world's best-known scientist before his death in 1996, wrote that "the development of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems will, sooner or later, lead to global disaster" (Cosmos, 1980, p. 328).



With the Cold War ended, the probability of all-out nuclear war between countries has lessened for the time being, but the continuing addition of more nations to the nuclear club ratchets the threat back upward.



If North Korea has successfully developed nuclear weapons—as it has strongly hinted it has done—the nuclear club of nations now totals 10. More than 50,000 nuclear weapons exist in the world, many in dangerously unstable places. No one dares dismiss the idea that terrorist groups, if they can get their hands on nuclear devices, will use them in pursuit of their deadly aims.



Optimistic scientists believe that, thanks to continuing discoveries in science and technology, the nations will realize they must cooperate and work together to develop a unified global civilization. However, admits Dr. Kaku, "in the background always lurks the possibility of a nuclear war, the outbreak of a deadly pandemic, or a collapse of the environment" (p. 19).



Is time running out?

Reagan expressed concern that Armageddon may occur in our generation. His defense secretary, Casper Weinberger, observed: "I believe the world is going to end—by an act of God, I hope—but every day I think time is running out" (quoted by Reginald Stackhouse, The End of the World, 1997, p. viii).



Former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing commented on the state of humanity: "The world is unhappy because it doesn't know where it is going and because it senses that, if it knew, it would discover that it was heading for disaster" (ibid.).



Former U.S. vice president Al Gore speculated on the longevity of the world: "Two world wars, the Holocaust, the invention of nuclear weapons, and now the global environmental crisis have led many of us to wonder if survival . . . is possible" (Earth in the Balance, 1992, p. 366).



Indeed, experts from many fields share the concern that we could see the end of civilization as we know it. These concerns have created an age of anxiety, especially in a world where so little seems certain anymore.



Many others, however, say there is no need to be concerned about the world ending. They point to epidemics of end-time panic that have raged in the past. They list many failed past predictions regarding the end of the world.



Such criticism is justified to a point. Doomsday predictions have abounded for centuries; date-setters have been wrong many times. The problem with most of these prognostications was that, though well intentioned, the specific chronological details were the ideas of men who badly misinterpreted information in Scripture.



Is there a source to which we can go for reliable information? There is! That one reliable source is the Bible—what it really says. Many people today have a vague idea that the Bible says something about the end of the world. Does it? Most certainly!



The end of an age

Although we do not know the time, one thing we know for sure is that the Bible prophesies the end of the world as we know it. But what does that mean?



When Jesus'disciples asked Him about "the end of the world," they weren't talking about "world" in the sense of our physical planet, the earth. The Greek word translated "world" is aion, from which we get the English word eon. The two mean essentially the same thing—an age, an epoch, an era .



Christ's followers well knew the many prophecies of the Old Testament that foretell the coming age of the Messiah. Our present time, the time of human rule on earth under the deceptive sway of Satan (1 John 5:19), is described by the apostle Paul as "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4).



Another Greek word translated "world" in the New Testament is kosmos, which denotes the ordered world around us—that is, not the physical planet we live on but man's society and geopolitical dominion. This is what will end.



Paul and the other apostles understood that, at the end of this age, man's corrupt civilization will be swept away and a new era will dawn at the return of Christ. Peter described this change as one in which "times of refreshing" will come from God the Father through Jesus, who will return from heaven when "the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3:19-21, New International Version).



This transition from man's misrule—which is, in reality, the unrecognized rule of Satan—to Christ's divine reign in the Kingdom of God was at the heart of the messages of the biblical prophets as well as the gospel Jesus taught. (For more information, request our free booklets The Gospel of the Kingdom and Is There Really a Devil?)



Scripture proclaims that the present age—the civilization and societies we know today—will terminate in a cascade of unimaginable destruction and violence that will climax at the return of Christ. In the New Testament alone, more than 300 verses refer to these events.



Signs of the end time

When Jesus' disciples asked about the end of the age (Matthew 24:3), He responded by listing several warning signs. The first would be massive religious deception, including religious teachers who, while claiming to represent Him, would not follow His teachings but would deceive many through a counterfeit Christianity.



He also said there would be many wars and other conflicts between nations and ethnic groups. He also spoke of famines,massive disease epidemics and earthquakes.



The problem with trying to precisely predict the end from these signs is that these trends and conditions have been with us in varying degrees from the first century until now. This helps explain why end-time fervor has arisen repeatedly for two millennia.



Many believe that man's development of modern weaponry with the ability to annihilate human life is a sure sign of the last days. As for this destructive potential being a sign of the end, Jesus did say that "if that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive" (Matthew 24:22, Revised English Bible, emphasis added throughout).



Our awesome scientific and technological advancements have bequeathed to this and future generations a heritage over which hangs the ultimate sword of Damocles. Indeed, without miraculous intervention from God the human race has no assurance of survival.



However, we should realize the sobering fact that, no matter when the end of the age comes, people will be living at that time who will dispute the possibility of the world ending. Under inspiration of God, the apostle Peter tells us that "scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?'" (2 Peter 3:3-4).



Regardless of when it occurs, there will be people who express disdain even as the very time approaches. No matter how difficult things look, some will assure everyone that man has everything under control. Tragically, such assurances will do nothing but provide a false sense of security, leading people to foolishly continue to trust in human ability rather than in God.



As the end approaches

However long it is until the actual end of the age, one theme the biblical writers emphasized is that it draws nearer every day. Paul warns us that "now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed" (Romans 13:11).



And salvation is certainly important to keep in mind as everything falls to pieces around us. The end of the world as we know it, though it includes many catastrophes on a scale never seen in history, is not all bad news for mankind. It includes good news too. God will intervene before it is too late (Matthew 24:21-22). The alternative is not only the destruction of human civilization but the annihilation of the human race itself.



The only wise action for anyone who understands what is coming is to turn to God with repentance and obedience (Acts 3:19). Indeed, "now [God] commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed [i.e., Jesus Christ]" (Acts 17:30-31, NIV).



When Jesus comes in power and glory, He will rebuke the world for its sins. This is part of the message proclaimed from the beginning of the true Christian Church. On the day of the Church's founding, the apostle Peter exhorted his audience, "Be saved from this perverse generation" (Acts 2:40).



This is the message the Church is still commissioned to proclaim. How were the people to be saved? Peter urged them to repent—to turn from their own sinful, selfish ways and to seek God's ways—and to be baptized (Acts 2:38). At His second coming Christ will reward those who do so.



Focus not on timing but preparation

It is not a question of whether the world—man's corrupt civilization—will end. God's Word says it will. Our chief concern should not be when it will end. Jesus said it would be impossible for men to precisely calculate this ahead of time (Matthew 24:36, 42, 44).



Instead, our main focus should be to seek God to be spiritually prepared for the times that are coming. "But keep on the alert at all times," said Jesus, "praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36, New American Standard Bible).



The Bible describes believers as living in a state of expectancy, in a state of tension, between two worlds. We live in the present world, which we know will end, while we look for the world to come with the return of Christ. "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:44, NIV).



We need to seek God in heartfelt repentance and faith, leading to baptism by God's true ministers so we can receive God's Spirit (Acts 2:37-39). Then we are to remain faithfully obedient while awaiting Jesus' return. For "he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13).



Jesus never said the Christian calling would be easy. On the contrary, He said it would be challenging (Matthew 7:13-14). The reward, though, is great, far beyond anything we can imagine. GN









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Related Resources

Are We Living in the Time of the End?

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You Can Understand Bible Prophecy

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Signs of the End Times

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Signs of the End Times—Only Possible in Our Day

Every generation has its prophets of doom who claim that the end of the world is right around the corner. Could Jesus return at any time, or must certain events take place prior to His return?



Are We Living in the Time of the End?

A Newsweek report notes that more scholarship has been devoted to the study of end-time biblical prophecies in the past 30 years than in the previous 300. A series of novels based on biblical end-time prophecies have sold more than 9 million copies. Is there a way to tell if we are nearing the end?



Seven Prophecies That Must Be Fulfilled Before Jesus Christ's Return

Previous generations have thought that Jesus Christ would return in their lifetimes, but they were proven wrong. Many people alive today think that Christ's return is imminent. Certainly, the Bible contains prophecies that could not have been fulfilled until this generation.



Will Global Economic Turmoil Precede Jesus Christ's Return?

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The Gospel of the Kingdom

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Is There Really a Devil?

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Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion

We will examine the Bible's teaching on conversion. Contrary to what many think, it is not just a one-time event. Instead the Scriptures reveal that it is a process.The process begins with God's calling, followed by the key steps of repentance, baptism and the receiving of the Holy Spirit—finally climaxing with the return of Jesus Christ, when the dead in Christ are resurrected to immortality and given eternal life. That is the ultimate transformation, being changed from a mortal to an immortal being

Does God Exist? Evidence All Around Us

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Evidence All Around Us

Because God cannot be detected or measured by physical means, the scientific community has taken the position that He does not exist. Such a prejudiced and unwarranted view leads too many to ignore evidence in plain sight.

In recent centuries, philosophers have tried to answer the major questions about mankind's existence and place in the universe. What approach have they taken?



Their fundamental premise has been that there cannot be a God, a divine Creator. Leaving no room for anything we cannot see, hear or feel, or measure through scientific methods, they have believed the answers can be found through human reason. Using man's ability to reason, with its natural prejudice against God (see "Man's Natural Hostility Toward God"), they concluded that the universe came from nothing, life evolved from lifeless matter and human reason itself is our best guide to finding our way.



In his book A Quest for God, historian Paul Johnson observes: "The existence or non-existence of God is the most important question we humans are ever asked to answer. If God does exist, and if in consequence we are called to another life when this one ends, a momentous set of consequences follows, which should affect every day, every moment almost, of our earthly existence. Our life then becomes a mere preparation for eternity and must be conducted throughout with our future in view" (1996, p. 1, emphasis added).



Can we really understand the answers to the most important questions of life without at least being willing to examine the question of the existence of God, who is described in the Bible as having given us life and having created us in His own image? (Genesis 1:26-27). With the utter disregard for God that so many have shown have come many unforeseen—and tragic—consequences.



Can we find solid evidence of God's existence? If so, where do we look for it, and what is the nature of that evidence? What is our attitude toward the evidence, and how does that influence the way we live?



Evaluating the evidence

How does the evidence for God's existence measure up to the evidence presented against it? How we weigh and evaluate any evidence is critical to the validity of any conclusions we reach on this crucial matter. We must look at arguments for and against God's existence without resorting to prejudiced premises or illogical conclusions.



Prejudice works both ways. Many people who believe in God's existence feel compelled to defend their point of view in irrational ways. They hurt their cause by doing so. In like manner, many who believe there is no God refuse to give the evidence of His existence a fair hearing. In both instances, shallow prejudice is the real enemy.



Richard Dawkins, professor of zoology at Oxford University and an aggressive proponent of the theory of evolution, wrote The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design. He sums up the atheistic view toward human origins and existence:



"Natural selection, the blind, unconscious, automatic process which Darwin discovered, and which we now know is the explanation for the existence and apparently purposeful form of all life, has no purpose in mind. It has no mind and no mind's eye. It does not plan for the future. It has no vision, nor foresight, no sight at all. If it can be said to play the role of watchmaker in nature, it is the blind watchmaker" (1986, p. 5, emphasis in original).



However, to avoid accepting uncomfortable evidence of God's existence, he reasons, "Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose" (p. 1, emphasis added).



While admitting that living things give the appearance of purposeful design, Professor Dawkins does not consider the obvious—that, if they appear to have been designed, maybe they actually were designed!



Denying the obvious?

Dawkins' backhanded acknowledgment that living organisms "overwhelmingly impress us with the appearance of design as if by a master watchmaker," as he put it (p. 21), is not dismissed so lightly by many other scientists. They see the overwhelming presence of intricate design in the universe as a powerful indicator of an intelligent Designer.



A growing trend among researchers in biology, physics, astronomy, botany, chemistry and other major disciplines is study and debate over the complexity and orderliness they find at every level throughout the universe. Writers and scientists use the term anthropic principle to describe what, from all observations and appearances, are a universe and planet finely tuned for life— human life in particular.



Paul Davies, professor of mathematical physics at Australia's University of Adelaide, summarizes the growing findings of scientists from many fields: "A long list of additional ‘lucky accidents' and ‘coincidences' has been compiled . . . Taken together, they provide impressive evidence that life as we know it depends very sensitively on the form of the laws of physics, and on some seemingly fortuitous accidents in the actual values that nature has chosen for various particle masses, force strengths, and so on . . .



"Suffice it to say that, if we could play God, and select values for these quantities at whim by twiddling a set of knobs, we would find that almost all knob settings would render the universe uninhabitable. In some cases it seems as if the different knobs have to be fine-tuned to enormous precision if the universe is to be such that life will flourish" (The Mind of God: The Scientific Basis for a Rational World, 1992, pp. 199-200, emphasis added).



A world of design and purpose

Is our complex universe really the work of a blind watchmaker, as some contend? Is that what we see around us every day? Is life on earth simply the product of chance, with no purpose and planning, no control or consequences?



A growing body of evidence to the contrary is leading more and more scientists to question assumptions popular in scientific circles for years. Although few among them are willing to admit compelling evidence of God's existence, an increasing number are admitting that everywhere they look they see evidence of a world that gives the appearance of intricate design down to the tiniest details.



The Bible acknowledges the obvious when it presents us with an explanation of life quite different from that espoused by Professor Dawkins and others. It presents the universe as the handiwork of a Creator.



"Whence arises all the order and beauty we see in the world?" asked Sir Isaac Newton. The question is natural, and it was asked by a believing scientist who recognized the necessity of a cause for every effect. Actions have consequences. An intricately crafted universe points to an intelligent Designer.



Albert Einstein also marveled at the order and harmony he and his fellow scientists observed throughout the universe. He noted that the religious feeling of the scientist "takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection" (quoted in The Quotable Einstein, Alice Calaprice, editor, 1996, p. 151).



Cambridge University astronomy professor Martin Rees and science writer John Gribbin, discussing how finely tuned scientists have found the universe to be, noted that "the conditions in our Universe really do seem to be uniquely suitable for life forms like ourselves, and perhaps even for any form of organic complexity . . . Is the Universe tailor-made for man?" (Cosmic Coincidences: Dark Matter, Mankind, and Anthropic Cosmology, 1989, p. 269, emphasis in original).



Professor Davies expressed it this way: "Through my scientific work I have come to believe more and more strongly that the physical universe is put together with an ingenuity so astonishing that I cannot accept it merely as brute fact. There must, it seems to me, be a deeper level of explanation. Whether one wishes to call that deeper level ‘God' is a matter of taste and definition . . . [I] believe that we human beings are built into the scheme of things in a very basic way" (The Mind of God, p. 16).



No wonder the late renowned British astrophysicist and mathematician Sir Fred Hoyle, after examining the different settings that regulate our planet and the rest of the universe, marveled: "A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with the physics, as well as the chemistry and biology [of the universe], and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature . . . The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question" ("The Universe: Past and Present Reflections," Engineering and Science, November 1981, emphasis added).



The persistence of unbelief

Yet the belief stubbornly persists that God is not needed. The late Harvard University paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould summarized his atheistic viewpoint: "No intervening spirit watches lovingly over the affairs [of man-kind]. No vital forces propel evolutionary change. And whatever we think of God, his existence is not manifest in the products of nature" (quoted in Darwin's Legacy, Charles Hamrum, editor, 1983, pp. 6-7).



Some scientists acknowledge that they simply refuse to allow the existence of a divine Creator to enter their thinking. They argue that the discipline of science is limited to material or naturalistic explanations—that is, ones that deny even the possibility of the supernatural. "Even if all the data point to an intelligent designer," immunologist Dr. Scott Todd once admitted, "such a hypothesis is excluded from science because it is not naturalistic" (Nature, Sept. 30, 1999, p. 423, emphasis added).



Biologist Richard Lewontin was similarly candid: "We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism . . . we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door" ("Billions and Billions of Demons," New York Review of Books, Jan. 9, 1997, p. 31, emphasis added).



Supporters of evolution like to point out that acceptance of the idea of a divine Creator requires faith in someone or something we cannot see. Yet they are far from comfortable admitting that all who believe that life evolved from inert matter also have faith in a theory that cannot be proven—and is founded on far more fragile evidence than that which supports the faith of believers in a Creator.



Evolutionists' faith assumes that our unimaginably complex universe created itself or somehow came to exist from nothing. As occasionally admitted in statements such as those above, they firmly believe in a chain of circumstances that defies not only logic, but also fundamental laws of physics and biology. (For a closer look at the creation-evolution controversy, be sure to read our booklet Creation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You Believe? )



Evolution has become, in a real sense, another religion. The faith of its followers is rooted in an unsubstantiated belief that the incredible universe, including the world around us teeming with an intricate variety of life, is the result of blind, random chance. It can offer no rational explanation for where the matter came from that made possible the universe and the supposed evolution of life.



Conveniently sidestepping the issue of where matter and the universe originated, proponents of evolution begin with an existing universe operating according to precise and predictable laws. They recognize that those laws exist and function flawlessly. Yet they haven't the slightest idea of their origin. They choose to ignore the overwhelming evidence that a great intelligence is behind these orderly and harmonious laws.



Our universe works like a giant watch, vast in scale and complexity yet precise in its mechanics. Several decades of space exploration have shown the precision of the universe. It is because of this predictability that NASA can rely on split-second timing when launching men into space and sending spacecraft to explore planets so far away that it sometimes takes years to reach them even at speeds of thousands of miles per hour.



Evidence of natural laws

Scientists understand that astonishingly precise physical laws govern the universe. As Einstein put it: "My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God" (quoted in The Quotable Einstein, p. 161).



Astronomers can predict with amazing exactness when a comet will return to our sky. Scientists can send spacecraft to land on other planets or orbit bodies millions of miles away. The heavenly bodies move in a thoroughly predictable fashion.



On earth we can chart the position of stars and planets for any given day, month and year, forward or backward, with incredible accuracy. Our calendars are useful only because of the universe's immutable laws. We can rely on the timing and position of the heavenly bodies because of the laws that govern their relationship. In a sense, the story of mankind is a story of our discovery of more and more of the laws that govern the cosmos.



For example, we experience the effects of the law of gravity. Though gravity is something we can't see, we know it exists. We know it functions consistently. It is one of the fundamental laws of the universe. Similar laws govern every aspect of the universe—laws of energy, motion, mass, matter and life itself.



What about evolution? Evolutionary theory asserts that life originated with a single cell and over countless eons of reproductive change gave rise to the astounding variety of life on earth. But from where did the first cell come? Materialism argues for naturalistic abiogenesis —that life arose from nonliving matter through undirected chemical processes.



But that very concept is contrary to one of the most basic of all natural laws—the law of biogenesis. Throughout nature the law of biogenesis is abundantly evident: Life can come only from existing life, just as your life was conceived by living parents. Naturalistic evolutionists argue against the universality of biogenesis but can produce no concrete evidence of natural abiogenesis.



Evidence of a Grand Designer

Let's get to the crux of the matter: Why do we find so many dependable, predictable, finely tuned laws governing our existence? What is their origin? Did life arise by chance, or is something larger at work? There must be an explanation for the existence of everything. The number, precision and perfection of natural laws cannot be explained away as an accident. Such reasoning is irrational.



Common sense tells us that the existence of an unimaginably magnificent universe structured on and sustained by innumerable laws of physics requires the existence of a Creator of those laws, a Designer of those structures.



Some of the clearest evidence of God's existence is in the awesome presence of design in the universe. Australian scientist Paul Davies put it well in his book The Mind of God: The Scientific Basis for a Rational World:



"Human beings have always been awestruck by the subtlety, majesty, and intricate organization of the physical world. The march of the heavenly bodies across the sky, the rhythms of the seasons, the pattern of a snowflake, the myriads of living creatures so well adapted to their environment—all these things seem too well arranged to be a mindless accident. There is a natural tendency to attribute the elaborate order of the universe to the purposeful workings of a Deity" (p. 194).



Another writer who saw clear proof of creation all around him was ancient Israel's King David. Looking into the heavens 3,000 years ago, he realized that he was viewing the handiwork of the Creator and that we can discern much about Him by observing that handiwork: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4, New International Version).



The splendor of the night sky still moves us to wonder and awe. What are those tiny specks of light sparkling in the darkness of space? How did they get there? Why are they there? What lies beyond them in the unimaginable reaches of the universe? The grandeur of the shimmering heavens raises questions not just about the universe but about our part in it.



The same is true of the intricate patterns in all things on earth, not just the world we see around us but the unseen world we can explore only through microscopes.



A thousand years after King David expressed his awe at these marvels, the apostle Paul told Christians in Rome that "since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made . . ." (Romans 1:20, NIV).



The writers of the Bible recognized in the creation much evidence of a great, all-wise Creator. They understood that the wonders we see around us shout the same message: Such astonishing design demands a Master Designer! Whether we are moved by the power of the sea, the grandeur of a mountain range, the delicate beauty of the first spring flowers or the birth of a child, as we look at the world around us we naturally conclude: This is the handiwork of a great Designer.



Creation reveals the Creator

Theoretical physicist John Polkinghorne, president of Queens College, Cambridge, and a member of Britain's Royal Society, wrote: "The intellectual beauty of the order discovered by science is consistent with the physical world's having behind it the mind of the divine Creator . . . The finely tuned balance built into the laws determining the very physical fabric of the universe is consistent with its fruitful history being the expression of divine purpose" (Serious Talk: Science and Religion in Dialogue, 1995, p. viii).



Michael Behe, associate professor of biochemistry at Pennsylvania's Lehigh University, concluded from his intensive study of the cell, the basic building block of life, that such tremendous complexity can be explained only by the existence of an intelligent Designer:



"To a person who does not feel obliged to restrict his search to unintelligent causes, the straightforward conclusion is that many biochemical systems were designed. They were designed not by the laws of nature, not by chance and necessity; rather they were planned. The designer knew what the systems would look like when they were completed, then took steps to bring the systems about" (Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution, 1996, p. 193, emphasis in original).



His conclusion: "Life on earth at its most fundamental level, in its most critical components, is the product of intelligent design" (ibid.).



The precision of our universe is not the result of an accident. It is the product of a meticulous Creator and Lawgiver, the universe's Master Watchmaker.

The Battle Over the Bible

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.


The Battle Over the Bible


A cultural clash is ripping at the fabric of Western societies. It’s most pronounced in the United States, where history is being rewritten and culture reshaped in a battle over the Bible.

by Scott Ashley

Rob was a terrific young man—bright, good-looking and polite—the kind of person anyone would want for a son. His parents were proud of him, as they should've been. I'd known him since childhood and can't remember ever seeing a more pleasant, mature and trusting youngster. Brought up in a Christian home, he had everything going for him.



And then he went away to college.



Neither he nor his family was prepared for what would happen to him there. In one of his classes, Rob ran into an atheist professor who soon undermined and ultimately destroyed his belief in the Bible. It wasn't long before Rob abandoned his Christian convictions and threw away everything he'd been taught and believed about the Bible.



Rob (not his real name) wasn't the first casualty—nor will he be the last—in an ongoing war.



The United States, and indeed much of the Western world, is engaged in a war. No, not the war on terror, which is very real—but a war every bit as serious and with equally far-reaching consequences. Like the war on terror, it's a battle for survival between two starkly different visions of the future.



Some have labeled it "the culture war." That's a fitting description, though not entirely accurate. The issues run much deeper. At its core we're involved in a battle over the Bible.



The battle affects much more than religion. It spills over into politics, education, entertainment, the courts and many other aspects of life. Regrettably, the battle has already been lost in much of Western Europe, where religion and the Bible have been so denigrated that they play little role in public or private life.



There, belief in God is often viewed as a quaint notion—comforting to some, but judged irrelevant to the issues of today. Taking the Bible seriously is often dismissed casually and contemptuously. A century and a half of indoctrination with evolution, deconstruction of the Bible and two ruinous world wars have largely erased belief in God and the Bible.



Holding out—at least for now—against this rising tide of disbelief in God and the Bible are many people in the United States and a handful of other countries in the democratic West. Yet efforts to acknowledge and uphold belief in God and the Bible appear to be an increasingly uphill struggle. Many forces seem determined to take the United States on a course far astray from the one set during its first two centuries.



High stakes in the battle over the Bible



Is the Bible true? Is it what it claims to be—the Word of God? The stakes are high. U.S. court decisions increasingly reject longstanding laws rooted in the Bible. Some laws, like those prohibiting abortion, pornography and sex outside of marriage, were thrown out so long ago that they're seldom raised as legal issues anymore. Other laws, such as those banning homosexual activity, have been overturned only in recent times.



In many recent cases, courts and judges have shown outright hostility to such religious freedoms as prayer, display of the Ten Commandments and mention of God and the Bible in public life. Canada has even passed laws under which people can be fined or sent to prison for "inciting hatred" by simply quoting what the Bible says about particular acts of immorality! And make no mistake, the groundwork is already being laid for similar laws in the United States.



Consider some of the issues the conflict over the Bible touches:



• Abortion.

• Premarital and extramarital sex.

• Sex education and distribution of condoms and other forms of birth control in public schools.

• The role of government at all levels.

• International relations.

• Crime and punishment—what kinds of activities are classified as criminal.

• Illegal drug use.

• Religious freedom.

• Public expression of religious belief such as prayer and display of the Ten Commandments.

• Gay marriage.

• Legalization of intimate same-sex relationships.

• The direction and approach of public education from kindergarten through college.

• Teaching of evolution (and banning discussion of creation) in schools.

• Lawsuits over issues of personal responsibility.

• Obscenity, profanity and pornography.

• Entertainment—what we read, watch and listen to.



Of course, this is only a partial list.



If the Bible is not true, these are really non-issues, because there is no standard other than human reason for defining right and wrong. And this is exactly why many people want to undermine belief in the Bible.



But if the Bible is true, political and cultural leaders are increasingly defying its instructions—and drawing millions of unsuspecting followers with them along a dangerous and destructive path.



Built on a biblical foundation



It takes no great understanding of history to realize that America's founding fathers used principles and directives from Scripture as the basis for many U.S. laws.



Many prohibitions, such as those outlawing murder, stealing, lying and adultery in their various forms, obviously originated in and can be traced back to the Ten Commandments. It's only been in recent decades that laws banning blasphemy, swearing and working on the "Sabbath" (with Sunday assumed, incorrectly, to be the biblical Sabbath) have been wiped off the books in many states.



How did some of America's founding fathers view the nation's moral and legal foundation? They made their views quite clear in their own words.



George Washington, first president of the United States, said, "It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible" (quoted by William Federer, America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, 1996, p. 660, emphasis added throughout quotes).



In his farewell speech (Sept. 19, 1796), he stated: "Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports ... Let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion" (ibid., p. 661).



John Adams, the nation's second president, stated: "We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and true religion ... Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other" (ibid., p. 10).



James Madison, fourth president of the United States and primary framer of the U.S. Constitution, said: "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God" (ibid., p. 411).



John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States and son of the second president, said in 1821 that "the highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity" (ibid., p. 18).



John Jay, first chief justice of the United States, stated that to best preserve the nation, citizens should select Christians as their leaders. "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers" (ibid., p. 318).



In fact, in an 1892 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court explicitly acknowledged that the nation was Christian: "Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian ..." (ibid., p. 599).



Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, affirmed this when he wrote: "The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country" (ibid., p. 181).



Ronald Reagan, 40th president, stated in a 1984 speech: "Those who created our country —the Founding Fathers and Mothers—understood that there is a divine order which transcends the human order. They saw the state, in fact, as a form of moral order and felt that the bedrock of moral order is religion ...



"The Mayflower Compact began with the words, 'In the name of God, amen.' The Declaration of Independence appeals to 'Nature's God' and the 'Creator' and 'the Supreme Judge of the world.' Congress was given a chaplain, and the oaths of office are oaths before God'" (speech transcript at www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/ 1984/82384a.htm).



How the battle began



How did the United States come to stray so far from its religious and moral foundation?



As happened in Europe and much of the rest of the world, the theory of evolution and supposedly scientific explanations for the existence of a creation without a Creator gained wide acceptance. Starting in the educational establishment, these ideas quickly dominated the field and soon spread to all levels of society. (To learn more, request the free booklets Creation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You Believe? and Life's Ultimate Question: Does God Exist?)



As we might expect, it wasn't long before the Bible itself was put under the microscope and found wanting. But in reality, as time would prove, it wasn't wanting at all. Many critics, acting with woefully incomplete information, simply rushed to judgment, not knowing that hundreds of later historical and archaeological discoveries would confirm the Bible's astounding accuracy in great detail. (For more information, see "Can You Prove the Bible Is True?," beginning on page 7.)



When we fast-forward to the 20th century, we find some startling admissions from leading Western intellectuals as to why they so readily accepted the theory of evolution and rejected biblically based standards.



For example, writer Aldous Huxley, a fervent advocate of evolution, admitted: "I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning ... The liberation we desired was ... from a certain system of morality. We objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom" (Ends and Means, 1946, p. 270).



Julian Huxley, brother of Aldous and also a writer and leading proponent of evolution, wrote that "the sense of spiritual relief which comes from rejecting the idea of God as a super-human being is enormous" (Essays of a Humanist, 1966, p. 223).



Little did they know they were simply paraphrasing a profound truth about human nature and human reasoning that the apostle Paul expressed some 19 centuries earlier: "... The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law—indeed it cannot" (Romans 8:7, New Revised Standard Version, emphasis added throughout).



Humanity's hostility to God



Man's relationship with the Bible has never been very good. Ever since Adam and Eve, people have resisted others telling them how to live. So we shouldn't be surprised when intellectuals and self-appointed "wise" men come up with all kinds of arguments against God and the Bible.



As Paul wrote, people are naturally hostile toward God and His laws. Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God noted that we human beings have a great capacity for self-deception when it comes to seeing ourselves realistically: "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, New American Standard Bible).



Jesus Christ Himself said that "it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these

evil things come from within, and they defile a person" (Mark 7:21-23, NRSV).



Because of our greedy, self-seeking nature, it's no wonder the majority of mankind rejects God and His instructions. It's far more comfortable to make up reasons for thinking He doesn't exist or the Bible can't be His Word than it is to accept that reality—and to then acknowledge that we must start living by it.



Regrettably, this refusal to accept reality has tragic consequences. As God says through the prophet Hosea: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you ...; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children" (Hosea 4:6).



It never ceases to amaze me that people will turn their backs on God, disobey His Word and ignore His warnings—and then wonder why He doesn't intervene when they get in trouble and need His help.

"... Because you have rejected knowledge," He says, "I also will reject you."



The conflict continues



What are the results of this battle over the Bible? Recent studies reveal a surprising—and depressing—story. In a little more than a decade, from 1991 to 2004, the number of adult Americans who do not attend church has almost doubled, growing from 39 to 75 million.



Meanwhile, research shows that a majority —6 in 10 Americans—believe that living together with someone of the opposite sex before marriage, having sexual fantasies about others and gambling can be "morally acceptable" behaviors. More than 4 in 10 think that having an abortion and engaging in a sexual relationship with a person other than one's spouse is similarly acceptable.



Approximately a third see no moral problem with profanity, pornography, drunkenness and homosexual sex (The Barna Group, "Spiritual Progress Hard to Find in 2003" and "Morality Continues to Decay," www.barna.org).

It would be convenient to blame unelected lawyers and judges for America's moral slide. But such research shows that in reality they only reflect the moral mindset of a great number of its citizens and their desire to remove any stigma from their shameful actions.



Regrettably, many view such developments as "progress" and those who hold such opinions as "enlightened," while men and women who argue for biblical standards of morality are labeled as bigoted, judgmental, homophobic or worse.



God warns us in Isaiah 5:20 about this kind of perverted thinking: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"



He adds in verse 25: "Therefore the anger of the LORD is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them and stricken them, and the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still."



How you can win



Only God can change the heart of a nation, and if history is any guide, once a nation rejects Him and His laws, it will seldom repent and turn again to Him. Once a nation loses its moral foundation, it has nowhere to go but down. Our problems have grown so great that ultimately only Jesus Christ Himself can straighten them out—which is exactly why He must return to earth to establish the Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:21-22).



You may not be able to change your country, but you can allow God to change you. You can choose to turn to God and, with His help, live by the standards and values He reveals in His Word. You can prove to yourself that the Bible is indeed God's Word, then begin living it.



Follow God's admonition in Isaiah 55:6-7: "Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."



We would all do well to heed the warning of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence, when he wrote: "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of people that these liberties are of the gift of God? . . . Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever" (Federer, p. 323). GN





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Recommended Reading



What's behind America's startling moral decline? Does the Bible give us any indication and tell us where these trends will lead? You need to understand the remarkable story revealed in our free booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy. Also be sure to request your free copies of The Ten Commandments and Is the Bible True? Download or request your free copies today