From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow on twitter here: https://twitter.com/UCGElPaso.

America and Britain Cut Defense: What Does It Mean for the Future?

article by John Ross Schroeder

Faced with exploding government debt, America will likely soon see massive defense cuts. Britain has already made severe cutbacks in military spending. What is the inevitable long-term outcome?

Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal was decommisioned in March 2011 due to budget cutbacks in the British military.

Source: Wikimedia

British naval power dominated the world's oceans during the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th. Then the American colossus boldly stepped into the gap for the balance of the 20th century. But just as Britain's dominance at sea rapidly declined due to new fiscal realities after World War II, so does American military power face a new and dismal economic reality.
If wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and military intervention in Libya and Yemen weren't enough, the United States faces serious challenges from Chinese military ambitions in the Pacific. Previously some deemed this vast ocean as practically an American lake. Yet recently a Chinese official suggested that China should control the Pacific west of Hawaii.
China is also making rapid gains in advanced military technology. Several years ago it showed it could shoot down satellites orbiting the earth. It has recently conducted test flights of its first stealth fighter jet and is launching its first aircraft carrier this summer. It's building new submarines capable of launching nuclear missiles. China's advanced anti-ship missiles are a clear threat to U.S. naval forces in the Pacific, including aircraft carriers.
Why has the Republic of China found it necessary to increase its missiles targeted at Taiwan from 1,328 to 1,410, as recently reported? What is the mentality at work here? War with China may never happen, but hostility clearly remains and even increases.
Ironically, Americans are themselves financing these threats through massive imports of Chinese-made goods and staggering deficit spending made possible by the Chinese buying American debt!

U.S. military spending under threat

As these threats grow, what is happening to the U.S. military?
The British newsmagazine The Economist recently observed: "Amid all the agonising over America's ballooning debt, the once sacrosanct defence budget, which represents half of all discretionary federal spending, is no longer off limits. Even some Republicans . . . concede that defence has to be 'on the table' if a serious assault on trillion-dollar annual deficits is to be launched" ("Threatening a Sacred Cow," Feb. 12, 2011).
In May, outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a warning about coming cuts. The Associated Press reported from Washington, "In a parting shot by one of the longest serving Pentagon chiefs, Robert Gates on Tuesday warned that shrinking defense budgets will mean a smaller military and a diminished American role in the world" ("Gates: Big Cuts Will Shrink U.S. Influence," May 25, 2011).
Secretary Gates noted that "a smaller military, no matter how superb, will be able to go fewer places and be able to do fewer things" (ibid.).
Severe cuts in U.S. military spending will not make Chinese and Iranian challenges go away—not to mention the still-simmering Iraqi conflict, the hot war in Afghanistan, the uncertain Libyan dilemma and our ongoing worries about Pakistan.

America and Britain reaching a crossroads

Financially both Britain and America find themselves at a disturbing crossroads.
Throughout much of the 20th century Britain was able to aid and abet American efforts to face down the world-ruling ambitions of powerful dictators like Hitler, Stalin and Tojo. More recently Anglo-American joint efforts have concentrated on coping with conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya.
Repeatedly Britain has been the United States' strongest ally. However, recent developments have called into question the ability of the United Kingdom to continue in that role indefinitely.
The UK's military cuts have been severe. Yet British Defence Secretary Dr. Liam Fox notes that "it is easy to forget that Britain remains the world's fifth biggest economy, with the world's fourth biggest defence budget . . . An island nation like Britain, with so many interests in so many parts of the world—92 per cent of trade moving by sea, [with] around 10 per cent of our citizens living abroad—is inevitably going to be affected by global instability" ("Holding the Line Against a Future Full of Uncertainties," The Sunday Telegraph, Feb. 27, 2011).
Still the severity of these cuts must be addressed. Wrote Daily Mail defense columnist Ian Drury: "Scrapping the RAF's [Royal Air Force's] £4.1 billion fleet of new Nimrod spy planes will weaken Britain's defences by leaving a 'massive' security gap, leading military figures and MPs have warned . . . Defence Secretary Liam Fox admitted in November [2010] that getting rid of the Nimrods was a 'calculated risk.' But ministers were determined to press on, claiming it will save the cash-strapped MoD [Ministry of Defence] £2 billion over the next ten years" ("Axing New Nimrods Is a Huge Risk Say Top Brass," Jan. 23, 2011).
When sheer lack of funds dictates military preparedness, American and British defenses will be gravely compromised.

Armaments are only part of the American picture

World and national affairs magazines are currently debating the question of American decline. Is it an uncomfortable reality or only a temporary mirage? Observers seem to be divided about 50-50. Yet all freely acknowledge the serious nature of national challenges on both domestic and foreign fronts.
America cannot effectively separate the prospect of serious military cuts with the general decline of its national condition. Ultimately, everything stands or falls together.
As it stands today, American military strength still dominates every other nation by large margins. But if—as recent trends indicate—that military gap were substantially bridged in the future, we would have a far different story on our hands. America's vulnerability to enemies would become painfully apparent.
By then it may be too late to turn to God and seek the help of our Creator. Remember the words of God through the prophet Ezekiel: "'When a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,' says the Lord God" (Ezekiel:14:14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.; compare Jeremiah:15:1Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.).
There will come a point of no return. Inevitably a tipping point will arrive.

The all-important biblical background

The United States and Britain cannot escape history. Surprisingly, the Bible and history reveal that their respective national DNAs reach back to the patriarch Joseph in the book of Genesis.
The God of Israel marked off a special responsibility for the British and American peoples toward the time of the end. Their military and economic might was foretold in Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33. Their cultural influence enabled the two nations to take the message of the Bible to the entire world.
But overall, how have they performed? Have they fulfilled what God wanted them to do? The enormous material gifts bestowed on the two nations by the Creator puts them in a position of great responsibility, requiring a very high standard of moral conduct. Yet the last 50 years have seen ever-increasing degrees of moral failure.
In just the last 10 years the United States has witnessed a 25 percent hike in unmarried couples living together. People no longer honor the God-given marriage institution. Instead we carelessly tolerate "alternative lifestyles," including homosexual marriage, contrary to clear biblical teaching.
The Ten Commandments are going out of style in America and Britain. A recent survey published by USA Today shows that nearly half the American populace hardly ever even opens a Bible. The current situation in Britain and its partner countries in the Commonwealth of Nations reflects similar symptoms of serious national decline.
A proverb of King Solomon states, "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord" (Proverbs:21:31The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.). Cut off from the help of our Creator whom we have rejected, even military strength cannot and will not save us.
If we continue to allow our morals to drift into the proverbial cesspit, our national downfall is certain. It was Thomas Jefferson who said, "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever." 

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow on twitter here: https://twitter.com/UCGElPaso.

Are the Blood Moons indicating the end of the world?

Are the four "blood moon" eclipses falling on biblical feast days in 2014-2015 an indicator of end-time events, as some say?

Answer:

Source: artshock/istock/thinkstock

The short answer appears to be "No." While there are many signs that we are in the last days, this does not appear to be one of them.
Several evangelical ministries teach that four upcoming lunar eclipses in 2014-2015 that coincide with biblical festivals—along with two solar eclipses—could signify that important prophetic events are imminent. The idea emerged from thinking that the prophecy in Joel:2:31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. of the sun being darkened and the moon turning to blood before the end-time Day of the Lord perhaps denoted solar and lunar eclipses.
A lunar eclipse occurs only at the time of the full moon, when the moon's orbit places it on the opposite side of the earth from the sun. Usually the moon at this time is above or a below direct alignment with the earth and sun, but sometimes it is in alignment so that the earth's shadow is cast over the moon, either completely in a total lunar eclipse or only partially. A solar eclipse occurs only at the invisible new moon, when the moon is between the earth and the sun, at times of direct alignment.
In a lunar eclipse, light from the sun passing around the earth is filtered through the earth's atmosphere as it travels toward the moon. Many colors of the light spectrum are more readily filtered out than red. The term "blood moon" comes from the copper- or reddish-colored appearance of the moon during some lunar eclipses. But depending on atmospheric conditions, the eclipsed moon can have a range of colors, so there is no way to really know if any of the upcoming eclipses will be blood moons.
Lunar eclipses are actually rather common. There were 229 in the 20th century—81 of them total eclipses (as recorded at NASA's eclipse site, eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov ). So in trying to find some significance among them, attention was turned to a relatively rarer occurrence—a lunar tetrad, a series of four total lunar eclipses spanning two years, with six lunar months from one eclipse to the next. And it was noted that, even more rarely, the eclipses in such tetrads at times correspond to the spring feast of Passover and the autumn feast of Tabernacles.
Yet this is perhaps not so remarkable as it sounds. Biblical months begin at the new moon, when solar eclipses can occur. And the festivals of Passover and Tabernacles always occur at the time of the full moon, when lunar eclipses can occur. Indeed, many lunar eclipses fall at the time of Passover and Tabernacles every century. And these feasts are exactly six lunar months apart, just as needed for tetrads to fall (of course, tetrads of eclipses can fall across any months that are six months apart).
In the 20th century there were five lunar tetrads—two coinciding with the biblical feasts. However, some centuries have more or less or even none. Between the years A.D. 1 and 2000, there were 54 tetrads, of which seven corresponded to the feasts. While that might sound extremely rare, 7 out of 54 is about 13 percent—close to what random average would yield.
The seven tetrad periods corresponding to the feasts from years 1 to 2000 were A.D. 162-163, 795-796, 842-843, 860-861, 1493-1494, 1949-1950, 1967-1968. Some have seen a tie-in here to major events in the history of the Jewish people. They note that in 1492 the Jews were expelled from Spain and Columbus discovered the New World, which would later become a haven for them. In 1948 the Jewish state of Israel was born. And in 1967 the Israelis defeated their enemies in the Six-Day War. However, note that the associated tetrads followed these events, sometimes by a year or more. So how did they herald these things?
Moreover, there were no monumental events attached to the first four tetrads. Consider also that the most significant events in Jewish and world history have no tetrads associated with them. From 100 B.C. to A.D. 100 there were no lunar tetrads, feast-related or otherwise, and it was in this period that Jesus Christ lived and died and was resurrected, the New Testament Church began and Jerusalem was destroyed.
We should also note that these feast eclipses don't always exactly correspond to the biblical festivals. Sometimes they fall a day or two off from the festivals as they fall on the Hebrew calculated calendar.
As for the two solar eclipses in 2015, the first, a total one on March 20, is supposed to correspond to the first day of the sacred year, Nisan 1 on the Hebrew calendar. But it actually comes the day before on Adar 29. The second eclipse, a partial one on Sept. 13, comes not on Tishri 1, the Feast of Trumpets, but the day before, Elul 29. This is to be expected since a solar eclipse comes at the exact conjunction of the sun and moon, when the moon is invisible to us because its dark side is facing us, while the new moon or new month on the Hebrew calendar comes shortly after when the first crescent is visible.
The March 20 solar eclipse will be visible in clear skies only in the far North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, while the Sept. 13 one will be visible only in the area around Antarctica, with the sun not much dimmed because it is not a total eclipse. Neither will be visible from the focal point of Bible prophecy, Jerusalem.
In fact, of the lunar eclipses in the 2014-2015 tetrad, the first three will not be visible from Jerusalem at all. Only the last will be visible from there if the skies are clear—less than half of it as the moon sets on the horizon.
As to Joel:2:31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come., it mentions the sun being darkened and the moon turned to blood, but nothing about this happening four times in a row. Indeed, the passage must refer to more than mere eclipses. The previous verse mentions "blood and fire and pillars of smoke"—which seems a logical way for the sky to be obscured and the moon to be reddish-colored. Verse 10 shows devastation darkening the sun and moon as well as the stars—the latter of which would not be darkened by eclipses (Joel:2:10The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:).
In Matthew:24:29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:, Jesus said that these heavenly signs would occur immediately after the Great Tribulation (Matthew:24:22-29 [22] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
[23] Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
[24] For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
[25] Behold, I have told you before.
[26] Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
[27] For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
[28] For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
[29] Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:)—and Revelation:6:12-13 [12] And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
[13] And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. shows them following that time of martyrdom of God's people as well (Revelation:6:9-11 [9] And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
[10] And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
[11] And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.) and immediately preceding the Day of the Lord (Revelation:6:17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?). And so the solar eclipses and lunar tetrad of 2014-15 cannot fulfill these prophecies of the sun being darkened and the moon turned to blood—because the Great Tribulation has not even started, much less concluded.
Some, admitting this, still maintain that the tetrad must indicate something big. Yet the first four feast eclipses of those listed above did not seem to indicate anything. And those claimed to be associated with major events concerning the Jewish people came, for the most part, after those events—which in parallel would mean that big events associated with the 2014-15 tetrad would have already happened (though the Six-Day War came between the first two eclipses of the coincident tetrad).
The world is poised for major events, so significant events might well happen in 2014-2015. But there is no way to know what they would be, if anything, on the basis of the lunar tetrad.
For clearer, biblical indicators of the end time, please read the Bible study aid Are We Living in the Time of the End? .

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow on twitter here: https://twitter.com/UCGElPaso.

A War on Men

by Darris McNeely 

Source: kieferpix/istock/thinkstock

Many people say today’s Western culture is an unrelenting war on men. Is this true? Most often, yes. Here’s a word of advice to ladies: Don’t let yourselves get duped into carrying water for those pushing a feminist agenda. Take control of your life, and plan for your happiness.
Susan Patton, author of the book Marry Smart advocates that young women should begin looking for a man to marry while still in college. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal Patton says they shouldn’t let the opportunity pass by thinking that “there will be plenty of time to marry and have children, but first my career!”
“Educated women, if you want children and a good husband you will need to plan your personal happiness in the same way you plan for your business and financial success” ( The Wall Street Journal “Opinion,” March 11, 2014). This is Patton’s advice to young women who are not ignoring their biological makeup and needs. Women, she says, are different than men and should reject any feminist agenda that says women can go it alone without a man. The feminist lie says a woman should not aspire to marriage and motherhood. Doing so betrays “the cause.” Feminism says to young women, “You need what we tell you that you need.”
Reviews of Patton’s book indicate her intended audience is getting the message and waking up. They should. Their biological clocks are ticking, and the number of eligible men decreases as their years go by. The feminist myth that a woman does not need a man has caused many women to waste a lot of years.
Ladies, know what you want in life and plan for it–early. We are created male and female not to compete, but to complement. God said in Genesis:2:24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh., “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” This is the way it was designed, and it works best when applied at the right time and in the right way.

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow on twitter here: https://twitter.com/UCGElPaso.

Why Does Democracy Fail In Some Countries But Not Others?

by Mitchell Moss 

Egypt's first democratically elected leader Muhammed Morsi was ousted in a military coup last year.

Source: Jonathan Rashad/Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

On my way to work this morning, NPR's Morning Edition played an interview with an author that caught my attention. "Is democracy compatible with a country where there's a large Islamist movement?" is the fundamental question asked by Shadi Hamid in his book Temptations of Power: Islamists and Illiberal Democracy in a New Middle East. 
His answer? "Liberal democracy in particular is probably not going to be compatible with these deeply religious societies that have Islamist parties for the foreseeable future." He sees progress in some areas with certain Islamist groups. For example, some have accepted alternation of power, democratic elections, and legitimacy coming from the people and not just from Allah's law. But in other areas, things like women's rights or minority rights, these parties' conservative, religious visions for society will instruct to what degree they will accept democratic control once they're in power.
Listen to the whole interview here.
It seems to me that putting democracy in a society like Egypt—or Iraq or Afghanistan or wherever there are large segments of ultra-conservative Islamist people—is like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. Slapping a different process for choosing leaders on top of a society where the leaders lord their position over their subjects, where they view their position as one to line their own pockets, and where honor killings, hand chopping, canings, marrying 14-year-old girls, forcing women to wear burkas, etc. is not going to produce better results in and of itself.
Democracy has worked in the United States because Western thought and American politics was founded on principles of Christian influence (the concept Jesus gave of "if you want to be a leader, be a servant to those you lead" in Matthew:20:25-28 [25] But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
[26] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
[27] And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
[28] Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.), much of the rest of the world is exactly the opposite (what Jesus identified as the principle of "the rulers of the non-Jews lord their leadership over their people").
Nobody is perfect and it seems like ever more the people we elect to serve the public are just there to serve themselves, but our societal expectations of our leaders is what has made this democratic republic of ours work as well as it has.
It will take a change in the hearts of those countries where democracy struggles to be maintained before there can be any hope of long-lasting democratic rule with the will of the people as the primary guiding force.

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow on twitter here: https://twitter.com/UCGElPaso.

Help! I've Been Brainwashed

article by Mario Seiglie

This article is addressed especially to high school and college students who will be taking biology classes. If you take this subject, you will most likely be exposed to teachers who will falsely teach that evolution is how life came into existence. Don't let them do to you what they did to me.

I had been brainwashed! Believe me, it was not a good feeling. It happened while in high school, and it happened in my favorite class—biology. Here is how it came about.
My father was a medical doctor in Murphy, North Carolina, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Seeing an obvious connection between being in this vocation and science, I couldn't get enough of biology. At that time, I had been taught evolution by my biology teachers, and it made sense. Besides, I had a church background that taught that God created the first cell and then evolution took over to create the rest of the species.
So you see, I had been brainwashed by my church as well. My focus was that God had created the cell and then all living things had evolved. Yet this belief indirectly undermined the Bible's teaching that God had created Adam and Eve as completely finished, and not as evolved beings. So I wasn't interested in the Bible at the time and believed my church was the ultimate authority—what it taught was to be believed. As a result, I started contemplating a loose moral lifestyle. After all, if I had evolved from a monkey, and evolution was true, why should I believe in biblical laws that limited me?
Confronting an evangelical
Then, in my last year of high school, I met Danny, an evangelical. He said he didn't believe in evolution. I thought that was such an unsophisticated belief and that it showed great ignorance.
So I brought out a host of evolutionary "proofs." I told him about fruit flies evolving after being exposed to radiation and having different colored eyes or more wings. I told him about the British moths that had turned a different color, from white to black, as the industrial revolution had spewed so much soot in the air that the white trunks of some trees had been darkened, making the moths change color as a camouflage. I told him about Darwin's finches, and how they had evolved different beak sizes in the Galapagos Islands. I told him about the fossil record, and how species went from simple to complex over time. I told him about the embryos of different species resembling each other, and about the fossils of ape-men. So I managed to convince him, after making him feel very ignorant.
A life-changing experience
Yet a few weeks later I met another fellow student, Sammy, who would change my life. We both liked to play chess, and one day while playing chess at his home I talked about my background. I had come from Cuba to the United States when I was 7. We had lost all our basic freedoms to communism and were exiled. I mentioned that after my father arrived in the United States, he once remarked, "If the U.S. falls, where will we go to keep these freedoms and be safe?"
Sammy said, "That's interesting. I have an article where it says, if WW III occurs, is there a place of safety?"
I borrowed the article and became acquainted with Bible prophecy for the first time. I was astounded to read that the Bible talks about today's issues and gives a warning as well as hope. I asked him to lend me a Bible, and I started reading it and biblical literature. I was amazed to find everything in the Bible was true—historically, and, more surprisingly, scientifically.
So, I reasoned, if the Bible was historically true, then evolution was wrong. As I read on, all my arguments about evolution crumbled and I realized I had been brainwashed. I had been shown only one side of the story—and a distorted side at that!
I proved God exists and that cells couldn't have evolved. I learned that God created animals and human beings in a perfect and complete way. I slowly realized each "fact" of evolution had been a clever lie! It seems some scientists had chosen not to acknowledge the possibility that there could be a Creator God, which led them, whether knowingly or not, to distort the evidence. Why? It turns out that some of the early proponents of Darwinism had pushed the theory to avoid giving account of their sinful deeds to a righteous God.
As Aldous Huxley, one of the most fierce defenders of evolution, once admitted. "I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning, consequently assumed it had none… For myself, as no doubt for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation. The liberation we desired was simultaneously liberation from a certain political and economic system and liberation from a certain system of morality . We objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom … There was one admirably simple method of confuting these people and at the same time justifying ourselves in our political and erotic revolt : we could deny that the world had any meaning whatsoever" ( Ends and Means , 1937, pp. 272-273, emphasis added).
An old argument
This idea that the creation doesn't need a Creator, but created itself or has always existed is not new. The Greeks of Paul's day had similar, although simpler, theories about the origin of life without God.
Paul, in his critique of Greek philosophy, showed the consequences of this type of reasoning.
He wrote in Romans:1:18-24 [18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
[19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
[23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
[24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
"Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves…"
This type of philosophy is certainly alive and well today.
Apologizing to Danny
So after I proved I was wrong about evolution, I went back to Danny and apologized to him, admitting I was mistaken. It left him speechless. It was only many years later that I again met him, and to my surprise, he had become a Church of God member! He had been so surprised by my complete about-face that he had looked into what I believed and came to the same conclusion.
In hindsight, I must say the biggest part of my conversion had been understanding and applying God's holy laws. As each of you mature, you will also face a world deeply prejudiced against God and the Bible. But since my high school days, I've made many additional discoveries that have gone against evolution and for a Creator.
As Stephen Meyer, an expert in physics, philosophy and molecular biology, wrote, "The major developments in science in the past five decades have been running in a strongly theistic direction. Science, done right, points toward God" (Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator , 2004, p. 77).
The book of nature and the book of Scripture
Let's briefly look at some of these discoveries along with the Scriptures that support them.
In Psalm 19, God revealed to David that there are two books that witness to God's existence: the book of nature and the book of Scripture. In this Psalm, David says the majesty and the orderliness of the heavens declare the glory of God. He mentions the wonders of the spinning earth, the cycles of day and night, and our benign sun that emits light and heat.
The more scientists study our galaxy, the Milky Way, the more they see how perfectly arranged it is for life. It is a spiral galaxy, which is the most stable of galactic systems, and our solar system is situated between two spiral arms, which is one of the safe zones, away from the core of the galaxy, where supernovas explode and can decimate entire solar systems.
The earth's orbit keeps it at just the right distance from the sun. A bit farther away from the sun and it would be too cold, freezing the oceans, while a bit closer would make it too hot, melting the ice caps and flooding the whole globe.
Our moon is situated perfectly to protect the earth from many meteorite hits, and its gravitational pull regulates the tides, another essential part of our ecosystem. The tides keep the oceans oxygenated, allow currents to form and gently sweep the coastal beaches of any debris, not permitting the seas to stagnate.
The earth has the right spin, right size, right core, right chemicals and the right axis. Scientist call this anthropic fine-tuning, where all systems are fine-tuned to permit our fragile life system to exist. They have found that all the laws of nature and its physical constants combine in a mathematically incredible way to make life in the universe possible.
Another remarkable proof of this fine-tuning is what scientists call the big bang, the moment when the universe began. According to Nobel-prizewinning physicist Steven Weinberg, this was not a typical explosion that starts from a definite center and spreads out, but an explosion that occurred simultaneously everywhere , filling all of space from the beginning with every particle of matter rushing apart from every other particle.
"In three minutes," said Bill Bryson, "98% of all matter was produced. We have a universe. It is a place of the most wondrous and gratifying possibility, and beautiful too, and it was all done in about the time it takes to make a sandwich" (ibid., p. 94).
This is very hard to reconcile with evolutionary thought. Nobel-prizewinner Arno Penzias said about the big bang: "The best data we have are exactly what I would have predicted had I nothing to go on but the first five books of Moses, the Psalms and the Bible as a whole" (ibid., p. 77).
What is the conclusion? Dr. Meyer said, "When I look at the stars in the night sky, it is an occasion for me to worship the Creator who brought them into existence. So exploring the scientific and historical evidence for God is not only a cognitive exercise, but it's an act of worship for me. It's a way of giving the Creator the credit and honor and glory that are due to him" (ibid., p. 91).
This is exactly what David was saying in the first part of Psalm 19. In addition, as a lasting reminder that He is the Creator of the universe, God left us with the Fourth Commandment, the command to remember our Creator by resting and worshipping Him on the seventh day (Exodus:20:8-11 [8] Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
[9] Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
[10] But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
[11] For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.).
The book of Scripture
Then, after David finished mentioning the wonders of the "book of nature" where we glorify God as our Creator, he turned to the marvels of the book of Scripture. He says we should also give God glory for having given us His Word.
In verses 7 to 11, he praised its power to restore the person to a healthy wholeness, by assuring forgiveness and cleansing. God's Word also gives wisdom to those who accept it, even to the "simple" or inexperienced.
By applying the Scriptures, David said, we learn what "the fear of the Lord" is all about—developing a deep respect for God and His way of life. As a result, we will have "joy," or the inner peace and tranquility that comes from loving God with all our heart. The Bible is also "trustworthy" because its laws are true and are verifiable by life's experiences.
As a result of studying God's "two books" that give witness to Him, our faith is strengthened. We read in Hebrews:11:1-3 [1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.
[3] Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. about this type of faith: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." This is what scientists are discovering as well—the physical could not have invented itself, but must have come from some superior and invisible source.
We also learn we have a spiritual and moral responsibility to our Maker. Hebrews:11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Yes, this is a God who is concerned about us and wants to bless us as we obey Him.
So, please, don't allow yourself to be brainwashed as I once was. Remember what Psalm:14:1(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. says, that only "the fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" VT

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow on twitter here: https://twitter.com/UCGElPaso.

Forward: Factual Foresight of Fictitious Hindsight?

article by Aaron Dean

The world is full of information produced en masse by anyone anywhere and available to all.

Source: Photos.com

The world is full of information produced en masse by anyone anywhere and available to all. Being creatures of emotion, we often react before we know the truth. In 1985 the New York Mets signed a pitcher named Sid Fitch who could throw a 186 mile-per-hour fastball. In 1998 Alabama changed the value of pi to a more biblical 3.0.  In 1986, the Eiffel tower was going to be dismantled and reconstructed in Euro Disney. In 2008 flying penguins were discovered. Of course all this information was released on April 1, and they were April fools jokes played on the public.
All these “facts” have something in common. They were believed by a great many people. It seems there is no end to gullibility. If it is published, or enough people repeat it, it must be true.
Years ago in Ambassador College a student gave a speech on how gullible Americans were. His speech was about J. Edgar Hoover. In the newspaper he had read how Hoover was a vacuum cleaner, and the FBI had a janitor named Edgar. So they created J. Edgar Hoover to clean up Washington and foisted him off on the public. The speech was given with passion in true sincerity.
Of course there really was a J. Edgar Hoover, and the story was a column by Art Buchwald, the comedic writer. The student was rather embarrassed since the “gullible” person was himself, displayed before a live audience.
Have we ever been embarrassed by making decisions or taking courses of action built on emotional responses to “created” facts? 1 Thessalonians:5:21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. says to “prove all things, hold fast to that which is true.” Many people were led away in the first century. “I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes, who loved to have the preeminence among them, receives us not” (3 John 9). The man must have had some pretty convincing words to take over a church and turn away an apostle appointed by Jesus.
How many people have gone down the road to division by people who have smitten them with “facts” designed to create an emotional response? Often it is given “on good authority” while refusing to state who the “authority” was. These anonymous facts, perhaps spread with all sincerity by those who believe them, are usually supplied by someone who has a selfish cause to be in charge or to have things done their way. Most often there is the cry of  “unfair!”
Years ago a long-time evangelist was called on to cast out a demon. Before casting it out, he asked, “Why did you rebel against God’s perfect government?” The answer was, “Because God was unfair!”
Is God ever “unfair”? Often God creates situations where things appear, or may even be, “unfair.” This is the only way to find out if we truly have faith in Him to work it out, or will we take matters into our own hands. King Saul made this mistake when Samuel was “late” for the offering, so Saul did it himself (1 Samuel:13:10And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.). Patience is a proof of faith.
Sadly far too many have fallen prey to this trick of Satan. The only way to survive is to not be caught up in emotion. To prove all things and have the patience to see if what you have been told is indeed fact or fiction. Foresight takes faith and time to see if it is fictitious. Hindsight is 20/20, but there is a price. Thankfully there is repentance if you already chose unwisely.  

A Friendly Smile and Wave for Safe Travels

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

A Friendly Smile and Wave for Safe Travels




by Aaron Booth



Be sure to extend a friendly smile to others as you travel to the Feast.



Source: Thinkstock

You never know what a smile and wave might mean to someone's day. Never underestimate the value of a friendly greeting.

On my way to work I drive by a small white house where an elderly lady stands outside her front porch waiting to greet each car as it drives by. As I drive by, I return the wave and tap a few honks of my horn to say hello. She is always outside waving to the commuters, most people drive past, maybe some wave back. Sometimes, I don't see her and wonder if she is ok? I always slow down when I get to her home so she can see me wave back.

Today, I wanted to do something different when I saw her wave to me. I greeted her with a wave and honk as I usually do. But this time as I drove past, I found the next drive way and turned around. I wanted to go back and talk to her. Something I have wanted to do for a long time, but never took the time. I was in the middle of the road stopped in front of her house just to say a quick hello. Well, she left her post and came right up to my car and we started to chat.

Her name is Betty and she was outside planting beautiful flowers that a friend from church had given her. She told me that they were just too pretty to be inside and needed to be in front of her home. She told me about her dog Ginger, and that she would like me. She was hinting for me to stop back again and visit longer. I thanked Betty for always waving to me in the morning, and she talked about how she is always outside waving to people and how much she enjoyed doing this. You could see the twinkle in her eyes as she talked. It was her great joy!

As you get ready to travel to various places around the world for the Feast of Tabernacles lets remember to extend a warm friendly smile or a hello to those who you may encounter in your journey. You just never know... you might make a difference in a person's life.

May you have a safe and spiritually refreshing Feast!

What do you do when someone suffers a major loss?

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

What do you do when someone suffers a major loss?

by Victor Kubik

Last week my staff and I conducted a ministerial conference in the Rocky Mountain States.

One subject of special interest was this: How does one comfort someone who has suffered catastrophic loss? What can we do or say that will help? We will all go through this dark experience during our lifetimes, and many sometimes find it awkward or difficult to talk to someone who has recently suffered a major loss through death: a mate, a child or a parent. Many are in denial—it's emotionally tough to deal with the fact that they will never see or talk to them again in this lifetime.

So what can we say that will give relief and comfort, even assurance to the one grieving?

1. Sometimes we don't know what to say or do in cases like these.

I'd like to share a few practical points from the conference that may be helpful when we face this moment: Do not avoid the person close to you who is reeling from the death of a loved one. Don't pretend that it isn't happening. Their grief may absorb their entire consciousness. Do make yourself available and be around them in showing support, even if you don't say much. What's meaningful to the person going through shock is that you as their friend are around and available.

2. When speaking to them, do not be afraid to mention the person who died.

The grieving person is stunned and deeply hurt by the loss. Your making mention of the person by name can actually be a comforting action and help them deal with the loss.

3. Where possible, do take care of some of the normal and routine needs of the person going through grief.

Provide food is most common…and it does comfort. The grieving person often has little interest in taking care of some of the simple things of living.

In my experience, the greatest comfort often comes from understanding what really happens when one dies. Paul encourages a grieving church in Thessalonica to deal intelligently and not ignorantly about death:

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [those who have died in the faith], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."

Continuing, Paul wrote: "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 [13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

[16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

[18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.



See All...).

Here a supernatural literal resurrection from the dead at the sound of a trumpet is promised. The trumpet sounds when Jesus Christ returns and the dead return to life! Note this encouraging companion statement in 1 Corinthians 15:52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

See All...: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible , and we shall be changed" (emphasis added).

Knowing the truth of what a wonderful future awaits those whose human life ends does more to alleviate the pain of loss than anything else I could say. This truth gives hope and assurance that death is not the absolute end.

As I write this, we are preparing to observe an annual biblical festival called the Feast of Trumpets . This festival celebrates the return of Jesus Christ to this earth and the resurrection of the dead. As we observe this day, it represents a reassuring and comforting declaration of peace and joy for all.

To understand more about the Feast of Trumpets and other festivals of God, I invite you to read our free Bible study aid God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind . This short but packed booklet lays out all the biblical plan that Christians observe that give them hope and comfort. You may be surprised at the depth of knowledge of sure and wonderful truth that is in the pages of your Bible. After you read it, I would welcome your comments.

Hannah Montana Values

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

Hannah Montana Values


From where do you draw your values? How much does entertainment influence you?

[Steve Myers] Miley Cyrus' performance at the MTV Video Awards kind of turned the entertainment world upside down. Some have said that Hannah has left Montana. Of course, Miley Cyrus was the little girl that at one time played the Disney character of Hannah Montana, this kind of all-American cute little girl. And yet her performance this week some have characterized as something totally abrasive, something that was immoral, all kinds of adjectives have been attributed to it. And yet as we look at this scenario, can we really be surprised in the kind of world that we live in?

You know where do we obtain our values? Where does morality come from? Now this isn't an accusation against Miley Cyrus. Instead our world accepts these kinds of things. Our society, even though we say we're a people who believe in God. If you did a survey in America, probably over 90% of the people would say they believe in God. But there's a problem because the point is then, yes we may say we believe in God, but do we really believe God? When it comes to morals, when it comes to our mindset, when it comes to how we look at the world do we really look to God?

There's a wonderful Proverb that should really set the tone for our world view, for our perspective. If you look to Proverbs 2:6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

See All... here's what it says, it says: "The Lord gives wisdom. From His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

So if we're really a believing people, we have to look at these kinds of sections from the Bible and say: If I believe in God, I have to have an understanding where does wisdom come from? Where does knowledge come from? Where does morality, where does understanding from? You see it shouldn't come from Hollywood. It shouldn't come from entertainment. It shouldn't come from the mindset of this world, but instead it's got to come from the pages of this word, this word of God.

And so if we say we believe in God, let's make sure we don't get tuned into the ways of this world and this entertainment that surrounds us and invades us. Instead let's look to the word of God and believe God.

That's BT Daily . We'll see you next time.

Can We Win the War on Terror?

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

Can We Win the War on Terror?






article by Cecil Maranville





The world is at war. It's not the long-envisioned nuclear exchange, but don't count nuclear weapons out. This is a shadowy war of principle, one the United States, Britain and their allies are ill-equipped to win.



In August 1998, the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, came under violent attack by a then little-known terrorist group—al-Qaeda. Although its leader, Osama bin Laden, issued his now infamous "World Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders" in February of that year, no one imagined the consequences. The death and injury toll was considerable—301 dead and more than 5,000 injured—but the bombings did not betray their significance.



The truth is, they started a worldwide war of terror.



The world did not realize it until the next major battle three years later. This time the number of dead was 10 times as great, when in a twin "airline missile" attack on the World Trade Center, this shadowy enemy murdered innocent people from 80 nations in a period of minutes (the other attacks were directed toward the U.S. government and military).



The world was at war again.



Just as at the outset of previous world wars, not all nations realized what was happening or joined the battle at the same time. And, over two years later, some still waffle over their allegiances.



Bin Laden's name and al-Qaeda were associated with the 9/11 attacks within hours. It was shocking to learn that a lone, ill-defined terrorist cell had been able to strike at the heart of the world's only superpower. But it was inconceivable to the point of defying sanity to think that al-Qaeda would draw the entire world into a protracted war.



To this day, many do not believe a tiny army of fanatics could have pulled off the 9/11 attacks. A recent poll of German citizens revealed that a startling 20 percent of its people believe the U.S. government engineered the attacks on its own people ("German Disbelief Over 9/11," CNN, July 24, 2003).



The attack slapped the United States to wakefulness, leaving not only dead and wounded, but also inflicting a draconian injury to its economy estimated at a $2 trillion loss.



"Good vs. evil"



U.S. President George W. Bush began speaking of the battle as "good vs. evil," with the "good" being democratic nations and the "evil" being what he called "global terrorism."



There are two ways to understand "global terrorism": (1) terrorism on a global scale and (2) terrorism against the globe, that is, against the world. While the first definition is no doubt what the president initially had in mind, the passage of time gives us the benefit of hindsight. We now know that both definitions apply.



The struggle pits the world's nations against a radical Islamic group whose wispy but deadly tentacles know no national boundary.



Bin Laden had been a low-level leader among freedom fighters in Afghanistan who opposed the occupying Russian forces. Once the Russians were ousted, he turned his attention and passion against the government of his native Saudi Arabia, seeking to "purify" his country of the "corrupting presence" of the United States. (The United States maintained a continuing military presence there after the 1991 Gulf War.) The royals were in no mood for a rabble-rouser and ordered him out of the country, revoking his citizenship.



He returned to Afghanistan and began organizing former freedom fighters into his private army, a military tool that could enforce his religious vision. He was the man for the moment, giving voice and modern identity to a type of religious terrorism that has waxed and waned since Muhammad's days.



A monster child



Bin Laden's brand of radical Wahhabism was a suitable mate for the Afghan government, controlled by the Taliban. State-sponsored Islamic terrorism on a massive scale was the monster child of that ideological marriage.



Perhaps the U.S. government would have been more effective in responding to the 1998 embassy bombings had then President Clinton and his administration not been distracted by scandal. If so, maybe al-Qaeda would have died an infant. That's a question for history.



What bin Laden financed and led in some fashion (many believe that he does not have the intelligence or the charisma to be the singular leader of the group) now has a life of its own. U.S. intelligence believes that al-Qaeda will continue to be a major threat, whether bin Laden lives or dies. The monster child is grown and is alive and well.



Al-Qaeda is suspected to be involved in the "battle for the peace" in Iraq. Demonstrating its capacity to carry out operations in more than one country at the same time, it bombed two synagogues and the British consulate in Turkey last month, killing dozens and injuring upwards of 750.



As is typical of terrorism, no one knows who the next target is. The U.S. intelligence assessment is stark: "The Al Qaida network will remain for the foreseeable future the most immediate and serious terrorism threat facing the United States. Al Qaida will continue to favor spectacular attacks but also may seek softer targets of opportunity, such as banks, shopping malls, supermarkets, and places of recreation and entertainment.



"Al Qaida will continue its efforts to acquire and develop biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. We judge that there is a high probability that Al Qaida will attempt an attack using a CBRN weapon within the next two years" (April 17, 2003, report from the U.S. ambassador to the UN, emphasis added throughout).



Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear



The Central Intelligence Agency's report "Terrorist CBRN: Materials and Effects" (May 2003) provides us with more information on the possibility of CBRN weapons: "Al-Qa'ida is interested in radiological dispersal devices (RDDs) or 'dirty bombs.' Construction of an RDD is well within its capabilities as radiological materials are relatively easy to acquire from industrial or medical sources. Usama Bin Laden's operatives may try to launch conventional attacks against the nuclear industrial infrastructure of the United States in a bid to cause contamination, disruption, and terror.



"A document recovered from [an] Al-Qa'ida facility in Afghanistan contained a sketch of a crude nuclear device...



"A simple explosive RDD consisting of a live-shielded container—commonly called a 'pig'—and a kilogram of explosive attached could easily fit into a backpack."



Al-Qaeda may also use biological weapons.



"Both 11 September attack leader Mohamed Atta and Zacharias Moussaoui expressed interest in crop dusters, raising our concern that Al-Qa'ida has considered using aircraft to disseminate [chemical and biological] weapons.



"Analysis of an Al-Qa'ida document recovered in Afghanistan in summer 2002 indicates the group has crude procedures for making mustard agent, sarin, and VX...



"Initial skin contact with mustard causes mild skin irritation, which develops into more severe yellow fluid-filled blisters. Inhalation of mustard damages the lungs, causes difficulty breathing, and death by suffocation in severe cases...



"Sarin...and VX are highly toxic military agents that disrupt a victim's nervous system by blocking the transmission of nerve signals" (ibid.).



It is almost impossible to defend against the production of some chemical weapons. Ricin is a good example. It "is a plant toxin that is 30 times more potent than the nerve agent VX by weight and is readily obtainable by extraction from common castor beans. There's no treatment for ricin poisoning after it has entered the bloodstream. Victims start to show symptoms within hours to days after exposure, depending on the dosage and route of administration" (ibid.).



A fight to the death over principle



In some ways, the objective of the war is terror itself, invading the sanctity of a free nation and destroying its sense of security. But there is a broader objective.



The objective in this world war is not to invade and conquer land, but rather to invade and conquer a way of thinking. The president of the United States was right in declaring it a war of good vs. evil, that is, a war of principle. It is a war between the wild-eyed definition of Islam that Wahhabism sponsors and Western-style democracy, with roots in Judeo-Christian teaching.



Wahhabism is rapidly igniting passionate support for its goals in the dried grass of poverty in the Islamic dictatorships and monarchies, in the few Islamic democracies and in Islamic minorities throughout the democratic world.



But is the democratic world ready for an ideological war? And is it equipped to fight it?



The answer to the first question is no, for nations bicker and squabble over which nation is in charge. Jealous resentment of the United States on the part of a slowly maturing EU is painfully obvious. Most notable among those more willing to argue over who will lead the column than who will join it are those historical rivals of each other, France and Germany. Russia cannot make up its mind whether it is friend or foe, so much like the scorpion and the frog, à la Aesop.



Clearly, the world's democratic nations do not yet recognize their common threat.



China, whose ambition to be the next superpower is thinly veiled indeed, also feels no threat. If anything, it sees the present world conflict as an opportunity to advance its own interests.



In light of all of this, the answer to the second question must also be no. How could the world be equipped to fight a war of principle when its leading powers cannot agree on the simplest of principles?



The United States seized the lead for several reasons. Most obviously, it absorbed the initial assault, not just on its interests, but also on its soil. Also, it continues to protect its interests by taking the war to Iraq and seeking to defeat the enemy far from home, if possible.



But many American citizens firmly believe that the main reason the United States took the lead was due to the leadership of a principled man, President George W. Bush, who clearly saw this as a war of ideology. Shoulder to shoulder with him is British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The American president said from the beginning that this is a fight to the death. He repeats that mantra nearly every time he speaks, showing he is up for the battle.



America and Britain not up to the challenge



But is the nation he leads? Americans' interest in matters of ideology or principle is ever shrinking, in reverse proportion to its ever-expanding appetite for self-indulgence and entertainment. Americans responded with historic fervor at first, but the World War I patriotic song, "The Yanks are coming and we won't come back 'til it's over, over there" is rapidly giving way to a whine: "When is it going to be over, over there?"



A USA Today /CNN/Gallup Poll released Nov. 19 shows a country nearly evenly divided on its approval for going to war in Iraq, and "most are unconvinced that the war has made the United States safer from terrorist attacks" (Richard Benedetto, "Poll Finds Splits Over Iraq to Be More Even: 55% Disapprove of U.S. Management of the Situation," USA Today ).



Political correctness keeps authorities from zeroing in on the core issue of Wahhabism vs. the West with its Judeo-Christian roots. Saudi-sponsored Wahhabi schools operating within the United States have been widely publicized. But the government is loath to speak against them directly, in spite of the fact that the Wahhabi philosophy wants nothing less than the total end of all things Judeo-Christian. The reason? The United States walks the tightrope of combating Wahhabi terrorism and avoiding destabilizing Middle Eastern governments in order to maintain a fragile peace.



That's a political decision the United States and Britain will lament.



In spite of the fact that the United States and Britain owe their glorious histories to the God of the Bible (see our booklet, The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy ), both avoid fully embracing Him and His laws. Indeed, the basis of much of the powerful hatred within a large sector of the American people toward their president is a dislike for the fact that he is a man of obvious Christian convictions.



In other words, the United States and Britain are pulling their punches in this war of principle. Our peoples turn to God when we hurt, but we are getting over the hurt of 9/11. Continuing to fight in Iraq only reminds us of what we would prefer to shut out.



Meanwhile, the other side, in part led by al-Qaeda, presses forward with nothing to lose. Who would have thought that such a war would be so difficult to sort out—or that so few could topple so many? —WNP

.

Why the U.S. Attack Inside Syria Is Significant

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

Why the U.S. Attack Inside Syria Is Significant


A commentary by Cecil Maranville

Posted November 13, 2008





With the world's financial markets in meltdown, you might wonder, why should we care about what happens in Syria? It's a poor country with a small military and is not a crucial factor in the world market or a significant oil producer.



On October 26 the United States attacked a strategic target in the Sukkiraya Farms area of Syria near the town of Abu Kamal, which is only about five miles from the border of Iraq.



The attack ignited a diplomatic furor on several fronts. Iran, an ally of Syria, vigorously protested the American raid.



U.S. intelligence indicates that 90 percent of the foreign fighters enter Iraq through Syria; many of them through this difficult to defend region. Frustrated with a lack of cooperation from Syria to shut down this terrorist pipeline, U.S. forces took matters into their own hands.



A U.S. counterterrorism official said the target person headed a network funneling fighters, weapons and cash into Iraq. Syria protested that the Americans attacked the civilian occupants of a building, killing a man, his four children and another husband and wife. An eye witness to the funeral the next day said that there were seven adult males and no children.



Syria's relationship with Washington had been improving, but this incident is certain to strain that progress. Also, the young Iraqi government seeks good relationships with its neighbors Syria and Iran—even as it is in the midst of a sensitive political debate over how long U.S. forces will remain in Iraq.



With the world's financial markets in meltdown, you might wonder, why should we care about what happens in Syria? It's a poor country with a small military and is not a crucial factor in the world market or a significant oil producer.



But one significant nation—Russia—voiced angry protests over the U.S. attack. And it has probably not escaped your notice that Russia has all but publically declared a return to the Cold War.



Stratfor, an online publisher of geopolitical intelligence, warns that there are signs that Russia is again beginning to launch proxy wars —striking at American interests through any willing antagonist. Russia is also warming to an alliance with anti-American Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. And Russian money is supporting pro-Marxist terrorist groups in Mexico.



Now, as it did decades ago, Russia is renewing its military ties with Syria. Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, traveled to Moscow in August to discuss how to expand weapon purchases and the sharing of military technology.



For its part, Moscow hopes to establish a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus on the Mediterranean Sea that would make it possible for a Russian warship fleet to be stationed in the Mediterranean region! The Russians are likely to seize upon the recent American raid as an excuse to further the course they've already embarked upon with Damascus.



Centuries ago Syria's location was also strategic. It was on the main land route between Asia, Europe and Egypt. Since then, improved sea and air travel diminished its strategic significance. But its location cannot be ignored today because it borders Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Israel. Syria also gives safe harbor to numerous terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. And Iran's supply route to Hezbollah in Lebanon is through Syria.



A few years ago a massive al Qaeda terrorist attack on Jordan was planned and launched from Syria. Fortunately it was discovered and thwarted. But it could well have killed 60,000 people with chemical weapons, possibly from some of Saddam Hussein's weapon stockpiles covertly diverted to Syria.



Turkey, just north of Syria, is presently seeking membership in the EU. Turkey also would like to extend its influence in the Middle East after the United States withdraws from Iraq. A stable Syria would be greatly in Turkey's interest.



Syria's significance in the end time is mentioned in the biblical prophecies of Amos. His warning to Damascus (Amos 1:3-5 [3] Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:

[4] But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.

[5] I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.





See All...) is one of his eight prophecies to tribes or countries in the region of Syria and Palestine . Of their meaning, The Anchor Bible Commentary perceptively concludes, "There was a single decree…declaring judgment on the entire region as a unit…. This unity suggests one cosmic holocaust …" (note on Amos 1). A modern fulfillment of Amos' prophecy would be significant.



Syria's Sukkiraya Farms region is rich with history, as it is close to the Kahbour River, also known as the Kebar or Chebar—next to the area where captives from Israel were resettled in the 8th century B.C. by Assyria. The most famous captive among them was the prophet Ezekiel who, from the Chebar's banks, wrote prophecies relating to the future of America, Europe and the Middle East today.

.