The Growing Economic Crisis: A Biblical Perspective

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/

The Growing Economic Crisis: A Biblical Perspective
The recent turmoil in U.S. financial markets has drawn the attention of the entire world. What's behind the crisis? Where could it lead? A look from a biblical perspective helps us understand.
by Mario Seiglie
A look at the financial news reveals a world full of economic difficulties. Most of us are—or will be—affected in some way.
A growing crisis in U.S. financial markets led the presidential administration to propose and Congress to pass a $700 billion intervention to prevent an economic meltdown. On Sept. 19, 2008, President George W. Bush warned: "This is a pivotal moment for America's economy . . . Given the precarious state of today's financial markets . . . government intervention is not only warranted, it is essential."
When such difficulties arise, it's good to review biblical principles. Let's examine aspects of Scripture, history and prophecy that can help us gain some proper perspective.
Greed: the root of the crisis
The magazine BusinessWeek stated: "What brought down the markets? Bad choices, greed—and never learning from past mistakes" (Paul Barrett, "Wall Street Staggers," Sept. 17, 2008, online edition).
The Bible describes greed as a sin and talks about what happens when it takes over. It's well summarized in the famous quote from the movie Wall Street where the lead character Gordon Gekko says: "Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed is good."
This fictional person was based in part on the financier Ivan Boesky, who once said in a university commencement address: "I think greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself." A few months later he ended up in jail for insider trading, paying a $100 million fine and banned from the stock market.
Jesus warned about greed—the lust for money or other things—in Luke 12:15: "Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed; because a person's true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be" (Today's English Version).
The Bible also says: "People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain" (1 Timothy 6:6-10, Contemporary English Version). Sadly, in today's interconnected world, the greed of many can lead to financial pain for everyone.
Let's divide this complex topic into three parts to try to clarify some of the confusion.
Why do things like this happen?
Simply put, from time to time the financial world falls victim to unbridled greed—the unchecked lust to make money in spite of great risks. True perspective is lost, as when a gambler on a roll thinks his luck will last forever. Eventually his luck runs out.
Psychologist Erich Fromm warned, "Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction."
The Roman poet Aurelius Clemens Prudentius said around 1,600 years ago, "Hunger for gold is made greater as more gold is acquired." His words are just as true today.
A Sept. 18, 2008, article in The Washington Post, "Scrambling to Clean up a Category 4 Financial Storm," provided an overview of the nation's complex financial crisis:
"What is really going on, at the most fundamental level, is that the United States is in the process of being forced by its foreign creditors to begin living within its means . . . For most of the past decade, foreigners seemed only too willing to provide U.S. households, corporations and governments all the cheap money they wanted—and Americans were only too happy to take them up on their offer.
"The cheap money was used by households to buy houses, cars and college educations, along with more health care, extra vacations and all manner of consumer goods. Governments used the cheap money to pay for services and benefits that citizens were not willing to pay for with higher taxes. And corporations and investment vehicles—hedge funds, private-equity funds and real estate investment trusts—used the cheap financing to buy real estate and other companies.
"Two important things happened as a result of the availability of all this cheap credit. The first was that the price of residential and commercial real estate, corporate takeover targets and the stock of technology companies began to rise. The faster they rose, the more that investors were interested in buying, driving the prices even higher . . . Before long, these markets could best be characterized as classic bubbles . . .
"Suddenly, in early 2007, something important happened: Foreigners began to lose their appetite for financing much of this activity . . . What should have happened at that point was that the interest rate on those loans should have increased, demand for that kind of borrowing should have decreased, the price of real estate and corporate stocks should have leveled off, takeover activity should have slowed and companies should have begun to cut back on expansion.
"Mostly, however, that didn't happen. Instead, the Wall Street banks that originally made these loans before selling them off in pieces decided to try to keep the good times rolling—and, significantly, keep the lucrative underwriting fees pouring in. Some used their own 'AAA' credit ratings to borrow more money and keep the loans on their own balance sheets or those of 'structured investment vehicles' they created to hide these new liabilities from regulators and investors.
"Others went back to the foreigners and offered to insure those now-unwanted takeover loans and asset-backed securities against credit losses . . .
"As a result, when the inevitable crash finally came, it wasn't only those unsuspecting foreigners who bought those leveraged loans and asset-backed securities who wound up taking the hit. It was also their creators—Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Lehman Brothers, AIG and others—who made the mistake of doubling-down on their credit risk at the very moment they should have been cutting back.
"We are now nearing the end of the rocky process of uncovering the full extent of the credit losses of the major Wall Street banks and hedge funds. But . . . the markets have only just begun to force some financial discipline on the majority of U.S. households that relied on borrowed money to maintain their lifestyles. With nobody willing to finance those lifestyles, there are really only two choices.
"One is to turn to Uncle Sam to keep the economy and the financial system afloat. In the end, however, there is only so much the government can borrow and so much the government can do.
"The only other choice is for Americans to finally put their spending in line with their incomes and their need for long-term savings. For any one household, that sounds like a good idea. But if everyone cuts back at roughly the same time, a recession is almost inevitable . . . The inevitable second round of this financial crisis . . . still lies ahead."
What can we do?
We should first carefully analyze our own economic situation and seek sound financial advice (see, for example, "Coping With a Growing Economic Crisis,' The Good News, May-June 2008 and "Are You a Slave to Debt?" The Good News, July-August 2008). While we can hope for the best, we need to be prepared for the worst.
We also need to ask: What is our true currency, ultimately? It shouldn't be money, but faith. If we are faithful to God, He will provide. In a period of widespread famine, He fed the prophet Elijah through ravens bringing him food for many days. God can intervene in many ways to provide for His obedient and faithful servants.
As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24-33: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money . . . Look at the wild birds—they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and yet your heavenly Father feeds them! And are not you more precious than they?
". . . Do not then ask anxiously 'What can we get to eat?' or 'What can we get to drink?' or 'What can we get to wear?' All these are the things for which the nations are seeking, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But first seek his Kingdom and the righteousness that he requires, and then all these things shall be added for you" (Twentieth Century New Testament).
We do not want to sound like all is doom and gloom, that the economy can't recover from its current battering. Too many people cry wolf at the first signs of crisis. It's good to remember that there has been at least one recession for each decade in recent years—roughly around 1973, 1982, 1992 and 2001. In any case, this should be a wake-up call for each of us to examine our financial situation and our faith.
Economic turmoil and Bible prophecy
Furthermore, as regular readers of The Good News magazine understand, we should keep in mind the framework of end-time prophecy whenever we consider the world scene.
The fulfillment of Bible prophecy can be compared to riding on a roller coaster—there are many ups and downs with world events, but eventually, according to the Bible, humanity will reach the end of the ride.
However, we don't know when that will be. So Christ told us we have to watch world events (Luke 21:36), and just as fig leaves come out as summer nears, so when biblical end-time events start to happen, we should be ready (Matthew 24:32-34).
Could the current financial crisis eventually lead to end-time events foretold in Scripture? No one knows, and it would be premature at this point to suggest this. Nevertheless we should carefully watch and analyze the long-term effect of this crisis, which is spreading to other countries. The Bible does indicate that the world will one day fall into great economic turmoil that will trigger a new world order centered in Europe and not the United States .
An end-time prophecy in Revelation 17:12 speaks of "ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour [a brief period] as kings with the beast." Indications are that conditions will be so desperate and dramatic that these 10 rulers will give their authority to a powerful figure who, as head of a new global superpower, will bring order out of chaos.
The political and economic system of these rulers and a dominant leader described as "the beast" is called in biblical language "Babylon" (Revelation 18:2).
Why does it rise to power? In the midst of great turmoil, people will be desperate and in need of a savior figure. This leader will then take charge. He will share power with a deceiving religious leader called in Revelation "the false prophet" (Revelation 19:20). The merchants of the earth will be pleased because the system will bring security and prosperity (Revelation 18:3).
Remember Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the early 1930s? It was enabled by the economic depression in Germany at that time. Without it, there would have been no discontent to exploit, and Hitler probably would have gotten nowhere.
And what did he do when he took over? He introduced his program—a fascist system known as national socialism (the party name National Socialist being abbreviated as Nazi). Soon Hitler began to control the nation's economy and to rapidly build up its huge military, which gave people work. He also did much for the ordinary German citizen.
Of course, the future system need not follow exactly the same track, but there may be similarities.
Hope during troubling times
While the Bible prophets revealed what is coming, they did not know exactly when their prophecies would transpire. So it is today. We know what will happen in the future, but not exactly when significant end-time events will begin.
Also, in spite of the future difficulties foretold, the Bible gives us a message of hope. It tells us God's people will be protected through the coming turmoil. We read in Revelation 3:10: "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown."
Yes, our protection and our ultimate currency is our faith—our trust, obedience and love of the truth. Those who have made wealth into an idol will be devastated. But God will provide for the faithful, and He has promised not to abandon us.
Jesus Christ asked in Luke 18:8, "When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Will we remain faithful? Will we seek God in times like this? Let's develop a strong faith! For as has been said of earlier difficult days, "These are the times that try men's souls"—testing their spiritual character and faith in God. GN
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Could a Greek Tragedy Bring Down the Euro?

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/


Could a Greek Tragedy Bring Down the Euro?
In the last few weeks the euro has declined in value as fears over Greece's debt problems fueled international speculation. Could Greece's problems lead to the demise of the common European currency?
by Melvin Rhodes
Forty years ago, international currency speculation was largely confined to third world countries that kept the official value of their own currencies high, leading to a black market trade in money in poorer parts of the world.
Today, the buying and selling of paper money is the biggest legal business conducted in major financial capitals around the world. The change was due to the adoption of a floating currency system in the wake of the collapse of the sterling area (countries who used the British pound as their currency or pegged their own to the pound) and growing public debt in the United States.
What this means is that currency speculation has become big business, resulting in rising volatility in the markets. In the first half of February, this seriously affected the eurozone, the 16 nations that use the 10-year-old common currency, the euro. Speculation triggered by a fiscal crisis in Greece forced the value of the currency down.
"Yet the idiosyncrasies of the eurozone should not distract us from the general nature of the fiscal crisis that is now afflicting most western economies. Call it the fractal geometry of debt: the problem is essentially the same from Iceland to Ireland to Britain to the US. It just comes in widely differing sizes" (Niall Ferguson, "A Greek Crisis Is Coming to America," Financial Times, Feb. 10, 2010).
While Harvard historian Niall Ferguson correctly highlights the fact that Greece's problems will spread throughout the Western world, eventually even including the United States, others are pointing to the fact that Germany is key to resolving the Greek tragedy.
Students of Bible prophecy have long known that "ten kings" (political leaders) will form a resurrected Roman Empire prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ. "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind and they will give their power and authority to the beast" (Revelation 17:12-13).
While the European Union has been of great significance in uniting European countries, the 27-member EU cannot be the same as the final "ten" that revive the power of ancient Rome. The Greek financial crisis could be of great significance in moving Europe forward to its final destination, at exactly the same time that the English-speaking nations see their power reduced by their own fiscal crisis.
Greek crisis result of success
"Simply put, Europe faces a financial meltdown," wrote Marko Papic and Peter Zeihan ("Germany's Choice," Stratfor, Feb. 8, 2010).
"The crisis is rooted in Europe's greatest success: the Maastricht Treaty and the monetary union the treaty spawned epitomized by the euro. Everyone participating in the euro won by merging their currencies. Germany received full, direct and currency-risk-free access to the markets of all its euro partners... [Germany's] efficiency has permitted its exports to increase steadily both as a share of total European consumption and as a share of European exports to the wider world. Conversely, the eurozone's smaller and/or poorer members gained access to Germany's low interest rates and high credit rating. And the last bit is what spawned the current problem."
Some of the poorer European countries have long had problems balancing their budgets. Under rules laid down by the European Central Bank (ECB), they were not permitted to overspend by more than 3 percent a year. In fact, they could not even join the euro until they complied with that requirement.
It turns out Greece faked its finances, gaining entry into the eurozone through deceit. Other countries like Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Italy did well for a long time, but their finances have been badly affected by the worldwide recession. The five countries (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) are even referred to as the PIIGS, which only adds to the negativity currently surrounding these nations.
Twenty years ago, all of these countries could have worked their way through their own fiscal dilemmas by letting their currencies slide in value, but they no longer have that option now that they are part of a currency union controlled by the German-dominated ECB.
The capital of the EU is Brussels, but Germany is the richest member of both the eurozone and the European Union. The country is the key to solving the current problem, either by refusing to help and perhaps forcing the five out of the euro zone or by bailing them out, which would give Berlin even greater clout over the whole of Europe.
The Stratfor report continues: "There is no doubt Germany could afford such a bailout, as the Greek economy is only one-tenth of the size of Germany's. But the days of no-strings-attached financial assistance from Germany are over. If Germany is going to do this, there will no longer be anything 'implied' or 'assumed' about German control of the European Central Bank and the eurozone. The control will become reality, and that control will have consequences.
"For all intents and purposes, Germany will run the fiscal policies of peripheral member states that have proved they are not up to the task of doing so on their own. To accept anything less intrusive would end with Germany becoming responsible for bailing out everyone. After all, who wouldn't want a condition-free bailout paid for by Germany?
"And since a euro-wide bailout is beyond Germany's means, this scenario would end with Germany leading the EU hat-in-hand to the International Monetary Fund for an American/Chinese-funded assistance package. It is possible that the Germans could be gentle and risk such abject humiliation, but it is not likely.
"Taking a firmer tack would allow Germany to achieve [its goal] via the pocketbook...But this policy has its own costs. The eurozone as a whole needs to borrow around 2.2 trillion euros in 2010, with Greece needing 53 billion euros simply to make it through the year. Not far behind Greece is Italy, which needs 393 billion euros, Belgium with needs of 89 billion euros and France with needs of yet another 454 billion euros.
"As such, the premium on Germany is to act—if it is going to act—fast. It needs to get Greece and most likely Portugal wrapped up before crisis of confidence spreads to the really serious countries, where even mighty German's resources would be overwhelmed.
"That is the cost of making Europe 'work.' It is also the cost to Germany of leadership that doesn't come at the end of a gun. So if Germany wants its leadership to mean something outside of Western Europe, it will be forced to pay for that leadership—deeply, repeatedly and very, very soon. But unlike in years past, this time Berlin will want to hold the reins."
Will Berlin once again dominate Europe?
It's ironic that, after two attempts in the last century to dominate Europe by force, Germany is increasingly dominating the continent economically. The current crisis gives Berlin an opportunity to emerge as the clear leader of the new united Europe and shows a clear continuity from the first half of the 20th century.
Another Stratfor analysis pointed out that in Germany "factions within the CDU [Christian Democratic Union, the dominant party of the ruling coalition] are becoming cognizant of the opportunity the Greek imbroglio presents. Even though most German politicians would refuse to acknowledge it, Mitteleuropa (albeit in a demilitarized sense) must be on everyone's mind these days in Berlin.
"Mitteleuropa was an early 20th century idea that looked to carve out a political and economic sphere of influence for Germany within Central Europe, one that...would be able to counter the then Russian Empire to the east and the British Empire to the west. It was later perverted by Nazi Germany in World War II to include depopulating Jewish and most Slav and Roma presence in the proposed geographical area. However, in its pre-World War I original edition, it 'merely' sought a 'sphere of influence,' not unlike what the Monroe Doctrine sets up for the United States in Latin America.
"Fast-forward to 2010 and you have most of the EU expectantly gazing at Berlin, hoping that it saves Europe from its current crisis" ("Germany and Iran: Reconciling History," Stratfor, Feb. 11, 2010).
Chillingly and perhaps prophetically in light of Revelation 17:13, Stratfor concludes with these words: "The most potent analogy here may be that of the Roman Republic. The Roman Senate had provisions by which, in times of emergency (such as when Hannibal threatened at the gates), it could bestow dictatorial powers on an individual. The EU may be nearing such a choice, albeit with the EU in the position of the Roman Senate and Germany playing the role of Caesar. The offer may be too tempting for Germany to ignore. The question is: Will Germany's past continue to torture Berlin and prevent it from assuming its natural sphere of influence?"
Germany seems set, and soon, to take a greater leadership role in the European Union, an EU that could push some of its poorer members on the periphery into a secondary role, while a solid core of countries around Germany (10?) move forward to form "an ever closer union," one of the stated aims of the Treaty of Rome.
Meanwhile, the United States cannot gloat
In the realm of geopolitics, Bible prophecy focuses on the Middle East, the rise of a German-led Europe and the decline of the modern Israelites (especially the English-speaking powers of the United States and Great Britain). While the Greek fiscal crisis looks likely to boost German power, the wider financial crisis seems set to continue to bring down the power of the two English-speaking nations.
"For the world's biggest economy, the US, the day of reckoning still seems reassuringly remote. The worse things get in the eurozone, the more the US dollar rallies as nervous investors park their cash in the 'safe haven' of American government debt. This effect may persist for some months, just as the dollar and Treasuries rallied in the depths of the banking panic in late 2008.
"Yet even a casual look at the fiscal position of the federal government (not to mention the states) makes a nonsense of the phrase 'safe haven.' US government debt is a safe haven the way Pearl Harbor was a safe haven in 1941.
"The International Monetary Fund recently published estimates of the fiscal adjustments developed economies would need to make to restore fiscal stability over the decade ahead. Worst were Japan and the UK (a fiscal tightening of 13 per cent of GDP). Then came Ireland, Spain and Greece (9 per cent). And in sixth place? Step forward America, which would need to tighten fiscal policy by 8.8 per cent of GDP to satisfy the IMF.
"Last week Moody's Investors Service warned that the triple A credit rating of the US should not be taken for granted. That warning recalls Larry Summers' killer question (posed before he returned to government): 'How long can the world's biggest borrower remain the world's biggest power?'
"On reflection, it is appropriate that the fiscal crisis of the west has begun in Greece, the birthplace of western civilization. Soon it will cross the channel to Britain. But the key question is when that crisis will reach the last bastion of western power, on the other side of the Atlantic" ("A Greek Crisis Is Coming to America").
One week after Niall Ferguson's article, a report on the Financial Times' front page showed that the Greek crisis may already be reaching U.S. shores. "Foreign demand for US Treasury securities fell by a record amount in December as China purged some of its holdings of government debt. China sold $34.2 [billion] in US Treasury securities during the month, the US Treasury said on Tuesday, leaving Japan as the biggest holder of US government debt with $768.8 [billion]" (Alan Rappeport, "Foreign Demand Falls for Treasuries," Feb. 16, 2010).
Clearly, China is afraid the United States may not be able to honor its debts, just as Greece and others can't honor theirs.
The economic crisis among Western nations is pushing events toward fulfillment of key Bible prophecies leading to the end of this present age. Jesus Christ's warning to "watch" for the appearance of an end-time superpower combination of church and state should take on greater clarity in light of these events. These are not random geopolitical events. The puzzle of end-time prophecy is coming into focus one piece at a time. WNP
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Is Obama Hastening America’s Decline?

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/


Is Obama Hastening America’s Decline?
by wnponline

Subscribe to World News and Prophecy here

One of the prophetic keys to understanding today’s world is the relative decline of America and Britain. This article from London’s Telegraph squarely frames this critical issue. Here is the last paragraph:

The Obama administration is now overseeing and implementing the biggest decline in American global power since Jimmy Carter. Unfortunately it may well take another generation for the United States to recover.

Read the full article here.

Islamic Culture in Europe: Main Street or Side Street?

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/


Islamic Culture in Europe: Main Street or Side Street?
Controversies over minarets and burkas highlight larger questions about the clash of cultures and whether Europe's religious heritage should be defended.
by Paul Kieffer
When I drive from Bonn to Cologne here in Germany, I often travel on the west side of the Rhine River on the autobahn that links the two cities. About halfway between them, I always notice a minaret that is clearly visible from the road.
It is hard to miss, since it belongs to an Islamic mosque located just off the autobahn in a section of town that appears to be zoned for light commercial usage. The mosque's minarets stand in stark contrast to the other small commercial businesses in the vicinity and a nearby discotheque.
The location of this one mosque halfway between Bonn and Cologne reflects the situation of Islam in many parts of Western Europe. Islam, as a "minority" religion, is present but not prominent. And that situation has been largely acceptable to the native Western Europeans.
Cologne's controversial central mosque
However, things are changing. It comes as no surprise that the growing Muslim population in Germany (approximately 4 million Muslims, about 5 percent of Germany's population) desires more appropriate representation for its religion. The number of mosques has increased in recent years, and construction of a central mosque in Cologne for the Muslim community conveys the impression that Muslims want their religion visible on main street, not just on side streets.
The new central mosque in Cologne has Germans asking the question: "How big should Muslim mosques be?" Among those who have asked the question is Edmund Stoiber, who as governor of Bavaria wanted to ensure that Christian cathedrals would be higher—and therefore more visible—than mosques. His argument is that Christian Germans still make up a majority of the population, and the country's main culture is influenced most by Christianity.
The central mosque in Cologne was the subject of intense debate for several years. The Cologne city board of directors approved construction plans for the mosque in August 2008. Cologne's mayor, Fritz Schramma, a member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), supports the project but many of his own party members have strong reservations. They see the proposed mosque as a show of force from the Muslim side.
When completed, the Cologne mosque will have a prayer room large enough to accommodate 1,200 worshippers. The slim minarets will be 55 meters (180 feet) high with the dome over the prayer room at a height of 35 meters (115 feet). The height of the minarets was a subject of considerable discussion, since some wondered whether they would "compete" with Cologne's famous Cathedral some 4.5 kilometers distant. However, the cathedral is 157 meters (515 feet) high and will continue to dominate the Cologne skyline.
Public reaction to the planned mosque has been mixed. The dome will look like a globe, using transparent glass to make it possible to see into the mosque. The prestigious German weekly Die Zeit interpreted this as a symbol of Islam's openness toward the world.
However, Islam critic Necla Kelek, whose personal roots are an orthodox Muslim family in Turkey, interprets the architecture differently. According to her, "The globe is a symbol of conquest, and people can see the dome and the minarets as a Muslim demand to get world domination" (http://tinyurl.com/neclakelek ).
Some consider the Cologne mosque to be more than a desire to move to main street. They view the building's size as evidence that Muslims really don't want to be integrated into German society. According to Necla Kelek, the mosque will sow "the seeds for a parallel society. We have already seen that particularly large mosques develop into their own cities, own Medinas" (ibid.)
Well-known atheist Ralph Giordano agrees. In comments made to German TV station WDR, Giordano said: "The [approval of the] building permit is an anti-integration decision. Just the mosque's size shows that Muslims are demanding power."
Although the Catholic and Lutheran churches officially support the building of mosques in Germany, the Cologne mosque has raised questions about reciprocal tolerance. Cologne's cardinal Joachim Meisner wants Muslims in Germany to start fighting for Christian rights in Muslim countries in return for the mosques they are allowed to build in Germany.
Augsburg's bishop Walter Mixa chided local authorities for issuing building permits for mosques as large as the one in Cologne. "In countries which are mainly pervaded by Muslim culture, Christians really have no rights. Therefore we should not allow mosques with pompous minarets in Germany. In a Christian society it is sufficient if the Muslims have a place where they can hold prayers," bishop Mixa said.
A minaret-free Switzerland
Germany isn't the only country in Europe where Islamic mosques are a source of intense discussion. In a national referendum at the end of November, Swiss voters approved an addition to their constitution that will prohibit the construction of mosques with minarets in Switzerland.
After a two-year campaign to gather the required 100,000 signatures, the referendum was placed on the ballot by the conservative Schweizerische Volkspartei (SVP). Analysts were surprised not only by the clear result, with 57 percent in favor of the measure, but also by voter turnout, which was 10 percent higher than average for national referendums in Switzerland.
Swiss analysts were surprised by the outcome of the referendum. Opinion polls prior to the ballot had indicated that the initiative would be defeated easily. All established political parties had encouraged voters to reject the proposal.
The Swiss government did the same, asking Swiss citizens to consider the possible negative effect that approving the petition would have on Switzerland's relations with Muslim countries. Swiss Minister of Justice Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, who resigned from the SVP in the summer of 2008, appealed to voters to remember human rights and religious freedom.
Representatives of several parties described the outcome of the referendum as a "political expression" of disapproval toward an Islam viewed by many Swiss as being militant. That was exactly the point made by the SVP, as represented by Ulrich Schlüer, one of the organizers of the signature drive. He called minarets an Islamic "political symbol of a claim to power," a similar description as the one applied to the new Cologne mosque in Germany.
The referendum reflects deep-rooted fear over the potential future influence of Islam in a country that currently has only four mosques with minarets, although about 5 percent of the Swiss population is Islamic in its religious orientation.
As was to be expected, the reaction of the Islamic community in Germany to the Swiss referendum was negative. The focal point of criticism was the perception that limitations are being placed on religious freedom.
However, the central committee for former Muslims in Germany took a different view. "The 'no' to minarets is really a signal against Islamism, Islamic sharia law and the mandatory head covering for women. The minaret is just a symbol for justified apprehension concerning political Islam," according to central committee chairman Mina Ahadi. He praised Swiss citizens intervening and making their opposition known decisively.
A burka-free France?
Just two weeks after the referendum in Switzerland, delegates of France's governing Union Pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) party voiced support for banning the traditional full-body burka worn in public by women from some Muslim areas of the world. This burka leaves only a small slit in front of the eyes for vision but otherwise totally covers the body.
"The reality is that no one in France wants this custom to spread in our country," UMP party leader Jean-François Copé told the daily Le Figaro. According to Copé, not only French citizens but representatives of the Islamic community view the burka as incompatible with the values of the French republic.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy did not comment on Copé's remarks, but it was Sarkozy himself who called for a ban on the burka last June in an address to the French parliament—the first time in 150 years that a French president addressed the country's legislature.
"It [the burka] will not be welcome on French soil," Sarkozy told the parliamentarians. "We cannot accept, in our country, women imprisoned behind a mesh, cut off from society, deprived of all identity. That is not the French republic's idea of women's dignity."
Following Sarkozy's address in June, a multiparty parliamentary commission was established to make a recommendation on the issue. In January the commission "recommended adopting a ban on wearing the full veil in 'public places' including hospitals, schools and on mass transit. Under the proposal, women appearing in government offices wearing a burqa could be denied visa and immigration services," Deutsche Welle reported Jan. 26.
Should Europe's religious heritage be defended?
Public discussion, debate and referendums on the size of Muslim mosques, minarets and burkas were not an issue years ago when guest workers were needed for a booming postwar economy and the number of Muslims in Western Europe was relatively small. Today, however, population growth in Western Europe's Muslim community is much higher than the traditional ethnic population. If negotiations on membership are completed successfully, Turkey's potential entry into the European Union would see the Muslim portion of total EU population jump from about 5 percent today to over 20 percent.
Whether justified or not, the minaret referendum in Switzerland reflects a growing perception in much of Western Europe that Islamic influence will compete with Europe's traditional religious heritage, which is Christian.
Without ever referring to Islam, it comes as no surprise that Pope Benedict XVI has reminded Europeans repeatedly that they should not forget their religious heritage.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is taking the pope's admonitions seriously following a verdict rendered at the beginning of November in Strasbourg by a European Court of Human Rights. The court banned the display of crucifixes in Italian classrooms, justifying its decision on the potential that crucifixes on walls in Italian schools might cause distress for children who were not Christian.
The court ruling overturned two Italian laws, dating back to the 1920s when Fascists were in power in Italy, that required schools to display crucifixes in classrooms.
Prime Minister Berlusconi described the Strasbourg ruling as a silly attempt to deny Europe's Christian roots, adding that "this is not acceptable for us Italians." The conservative politician enjoys considerable support from the country's Roman Catholic majority.
Referring to the many churches in his country, Berlusconi declared that "you only have to walk 200 meters forwards, backwards, to the right or to the left and you find a symbol of Christianity. This is one of those decisions that often make us doubt Europe's good sense." He declared that his government plans to appeal the ruling.
In a rare moment of unity among Italian politicians, the court ruling was criticized in Italy across ideological boundaries. Only some groups on the far left and atheists voiced support for the Strasbourg decision. The Vatican's response was one of "shock and sadness," causing Vatican official Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to remark that "Europe in the third millennium is leaving us only Halloween pumpkins while depriving us of our most beloved symbols."
The court decision came only two weeks after Pope Benedict's latest admonition for Europeans not to forget their continent's Christian roots.
Like her neighbors to the north and west, Italy is involved in a debate on how to deal with a growing population of non-Christian immigrants, mostly Muslims. The Strasbourg court ruling could become another battle cry for the government's policy drive to crack down on new arrivals.
Mara Bizzotto, a European parliamentarian for Berlusconi's anti-immigrant coalition partner, the Northern League, asked why the European court had taken action against a Christian symbol but did not comment on Muslim reglious symbols such as "veils, burkas and niqabs [facial veils]."
The lawsuit against the crucifixes was brought by an Italian citizen who complained that her children had to attend a public school in northern Italy that had crucifixes in every room, thereby denying her the right to give them a secular education.
In 2003 a Muslim parent, Adel Smith, the head of the small Union of Italian Muslims, succeeded in getting a court order to have crosses removed from the school his children attended. But the order was later reversed after a nationwide protest.
Traditional religion to ride high again in Europe
Bible prophecy indicates that the growing concern over Islamic reach in Europe will be superseded in the future by a resurgence of traditional religious influence, greatly magnified in the period preceding the return of Jesus Christ. The apostle John predicted this coming influence in symbolic language in the book of Revelation. He describes the rise of two beasts, one of which represents a counterfeit religious system.
The first beast will be a geopolitical power, an end-time revival of the Roman Empire, described in Revelation 13:1 as "a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.". This first "beast" receives "his power, his throne, and great authority" from the dragon, who is Satan the devil (verse 2).
From the heritage of earlier empires, an end-time revival of the Roman Empire will arise, a powerful alliance of 10 "kings" or rulers that will exist shortly before Christ returns.
In the same chapter John describes another beast: "Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed" (Revelation 13:11-12, New International Version, emphasis added throughout).
Who is this second beast? He is a tool of Satan who uses his position and authority to influence humankind to worship the first beast, which is described not only in Revelation 13, but also elsewhere in Revelation and Daniel. This second beast tries to appear to represent Christ—a lamb—but in reality his words reflect satanic thought—the dragon.
How will he persuade the masses to accept such arrogance? He will be a skillful deceiver directly manipulated and empowered by Satan. "He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
"He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed" (verse 15).
John later describes the powerful religious leader as "the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his [the Beast's] behalf" (Revelation 19:20, NIV).
The False Prophet is evidently the satanically led leader of a false religious system represented by the immoral woman riding the Beast in Revelation 17. It will be the same religious system that dominated Europe in earlier centuries. Its influence will have diminished more recently, prior to a final revival of the Roman Empire in Europe. The immoral woman rides the Beast, reflecting her influence over the direction that final revival will take.
The apostle Paul also foretold the coming of a powerful deceiver: "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10).
Tragically, most people will be hoodwinked into believing him.
These future events will surprise a world unaware of what the Bible has to say about the time leading up to the prophesied return of Jesus Christ. However, you don't have to remain uninformed. WNP
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The Significance of Egypt in Prophecy

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/

The Significance of Egypt in Prophecy
President Barack Obama's visit to Cairo returned the spotlight on Egypt. Egypt is mentioned with ominous overtones in much of the Bible, but prophecies show much brighter symbolism for the future!
by Fred Nance
U.S. President Barack Obama recently visited Egypt as the first stop on his tour of the Middle East. He delivered a speech at Cairo University in which he characterized the peace process as seeking "a new beginning between the United States and Muslims" ("Egyptians Positive on Obama Speech," BBC News, June 4, 2009).
Part of the reason for selecting Egypt as the location for this historic speech is because it is a major Muslim power and the most populous country in the Arab world.
"Obama directly enlisted a religion [Islam] to build global peace and to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, end nuclear proliferation and stop terrorism" (Feisal Abdul Rauf, "Obama's Challenge to the Muslim World," The Washington Post, June 5, 2009).
President Obama sees Islam as central to resolving peace in the world. In the speech "he declared that the United States is not at war with Islam and outlined a plan for how the conflict can be resolved. Perhaps most important, he put religion at the core of the peacemaking process" ("Obama's Challenge to Both America and Islam," Lansing State Journal, June 8, 2009).
Religion is at the heart and core of eventual peace in the world. The president was correct in stating that. However, will it happen according to his outline? According to Bible prophecy, peace will come and Egypt will be one of the symbols of that peace. Why Egypt? What is so significant about that nation as far as the Bible is concerned?
Egypt is one of the oldest centers of civilization on the face of the earth, with a history dwarfing most other societies anywhere on earth. Its pyramids, sphinxes and rich architectural wonders are major tourist attractions that span centuries of time.
But more importantly, the Bible shows that Egypt represents something that God not only dealt with in the past but will deal with in the future—false religion!
Egypt, a spiritual symbol
In Revelation 11 we read about two witnesses who prophesy in Jerusalem against a power that will come against it. This power, elsewhere called the Beast, "will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months" (Revelation 11:2).
This Beast (a super economic-military power) will eventually have the two witnesses killed and their dead bodies will be left "in the street of the great city [Jerusalem] which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified" (verse 8, emphasis added throughout).
Why is Jerusalem to be spiritually symbolized as not only Sodom (known for its wickedness) but also Egypt? Egypt symbolizes false religion that the God of the Bible had to punish. Earlier in verse 6 the two witnesses are shown to strike the earth with plagues reminiscent of the plagues God brought on Egypt.
"Against the gods of Egypt"
Most Bible students are familiar with the 10 plagues that God brought on ancient Egypt to deliver the children of Israel from slavery under a cruel pharaoh. In each one of the plagues a devastating disaster occurred, but the pharaoh of Egypt would not let Israel go. The last plague involved the death of the firstborn of Egypt, and finally the pharaoh relented and released Israel.
In a summary statement God said in Exodus 12:12 that this plague and even all of the plagues were directed "against all the gods of Egypt." Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Bible Commentary says: "The whole system of Egyptian idolatry, with its disgusting details of the intrigues and incest of gods and goddesses, was a foul debasing mass of superstition."
The Egyptian system of worship was based on sun worship with a whole host of other gods built around it. This pagan worship was disgusting to God, and He took action against it.
What was not explained in the book of Exodus is that the children of Israel had become engaged in the idolatry of those gods. Ezekiel 20 explains that God was angry with Israel for their pagan idolatry and that He brought them out by means of the plagues so that He did not have to punish them in the sight of the Egyptians.
Egyptian idolatry and its system of false gods did not end with the 10 plagues. Actually Osiris and Isis, the most prominent of their gods, were borrowed by the Greek and Roman empires. They simply changed their names and adopted them into their pantheon of gods.
This system of false worship with its fascination and focus on the sun as an object of veneration has its imprints even in modern-day Christianity, which took root in ancient Rome, where a fascination with the civilizations and religions of the East flourished. (To understand more, read our free booklet The Church Jesus Built)
It is because of this false system of religion that God had to judge and bring plagues on the Egyptians.
In the future another religious system that is described in Revelation as "Babylon" will be judged by God with plagues and is prophesied to fall, paving the way for peace and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
A new symbol for Egypt
But while Egypt has symbolized false religion throughout the ages, a change is coming according to another Bible prophecy. Egypt will become a symbol of worship toward the true God of the Bible.
Isaiah 19 describes the judgment of the "idols" of Egypt in the first part of the chapter, but in verses 19 and 20 it talks about an altar and a pillar that "will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt." Egypt will be known at that time for its worship of the God of the Bible (verse 21).
The prophecy in Isaiah 19 concludes with a wonderful description of peace and harmony by the uniting together of three ancient enemies: Egypt, Assyria and Israel.
That future world of peace is symbolized in this section of Scripture as a "highway" of universal goodwill and understanding, but in actuality it is a highway of worship to God.
"In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians" (verse 23).
The Bible Reader's Companion says that the word highway "indicates the close relationship between once hostile nations forged by a shared commitment to the God of the Jews."
Verses 24-25 further describe that shared commitment to God: "In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, 'Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance."
It is significant that the president of the United States chose this particular country, Egypt—the very nation that will be a symbol of peace and harmony that eventually will be in the world in the Kingdom of God—to deliver a speech calling for eventual peace between nations.
The Bible Reader's Companion summarizes the beauty of that future time by saying: "When God can say of Egypt and Assyria as well as of Israel, 'my people' (v. 25), the world will have peace and blessing at last." WNP
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Redefining Hate Speech

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/

Redefining Hate Speech
Hate speech—it can incite racism, prejudices and even violence. But is it hate speech to disagree with others in the public arena on important moral issues? The debate over what is and is not hate speech is much more important than you may realize. There may come a time in the near future when it may be illegal to promote biblical standards concerning abortion, homosexuality or marriage.
by Gary Petty
Do you remember this childhood comeback? "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." That old saying just is not true. Anyone who has suffered ridicule, slander or verbal attacks knows that words are powerful and can be used as weapons to hurt others.
Tell a child long enough that she is stupid or that he is ugly, and eventually he or she will begin to believe you. Parents and children, husbands and wives, the dearest of friends have been separated for a lifetime because of hurtful words spat out in a time of anger.
Words have been used to incite riots and wars, promote racism and ruin the reputations of good people. Hate speech is a term used for words used to denigrate and hurt others.
Christian hate speech?
Sometimes Christians are accused of hate speech because of their positions on abortion and gay rights. Some opponents claim that Jesus said that we should not judge one another. This becomes an excuse to accept almost any behavior as Christian. In reality, not only nonreligious people but also most religious people would be terribly offended if they read the Bible and knew what Jesus really taught.
Here is the heart of the problem. A person, if he or she is to be a true Christian, must not only accept Jesus as Savior, but also accept the teachings of Jesus and live by them. The hard truth is that many professing Christians don't know or have outright rejected the teachings of Jesus. It is these teachings that provide a moral compass, a direction finder on how to deal with life's problems. Without this moral compass, a set of rules that define right and wrong for everyone, people simply make up their own definitions of morality.
Christ expects Christians to influence society through example. He told His disciples that you cannot hide the light of a city on a hill. True Christianity isn't meant to be lived in the shadows. When one takes a stand for the good of family values, sexual morality and the human dignity of a fetus, one will draw the criticism of detractors.
However, how can Christianity have a positive impact on society when so many of those who claim to follow Christ do not live by what He taught? Christianity is losing the public battle because we are losing the private battles inside our own lives. All too many Christians would rather "trust their hearts" than actually follow the teachings of the Founder of their religion.
The result is that in many churches what passes for the teachings of Jesus is based more on postmodernism or New Age thought than the Bible.
Then there is the inevitable accusation, "Christians just want to force their ways on others, and they're a bunch of hypocrites who don't live by what they preach." We need to face these detractors and admit that there are no perfect Christians, but there is a perfect way of life taught by the Creator of life. That way of life is worth striving to achieve because it is the only way to universal peace and happiness.
The positive message
Christians who understand the teachings of Jesus do not use words to incite violence, but they must speak out against issues like racism, abortion, dishonesty and injustice.
Because Christians are sometimes noted for what we stand against, it is easy to forget what Christians support—family, the basic value and dignity of every human life, the message of the Creator's desire to change our lives for the better, the eternal meaning found in suffering and death, and the promise of an afterlife. What good is it to claim that something is wrong without presenting solutions to the problems?
True Christianity is about change—change at the very core of who you are. Human beings naturally want to live a way of get—"get what is mine," "defend my rights," "blame my problems on someone else." Jesus Christ taught a way of give, personal responsibility and dedication to standards of behavior established by the Creator.
Be honest with yourself. How different would everything around you be if you, and everyone else, approached every situation with the simple idea of, "What can I do that is good for the other person?" Don't use the excuse, "No one else will live that way, so why should I?" The world changes one person at a time. Let it start with you.
The way of life taught by Jesus isn't easy. It is the only way that will bring real happiness, meaning and peace into your life.
The message of Jesus
Nearly 2,000 years ago Jesus of Nazareth walked the dusty roads of Judea promoting a message of God's love. His entire message hinged on two main ideas of how human beings should respond to God: love toward God and love toward neighbor. The way of give. It's really a simple concept—treat your neighbor as you wish to be treated and commit your life to loving, obeying and worshipping the Creator.
You might wonder why such a simple message would get the Messenger killed. You see, Jesus also was quick to point out the moral weaknesses of society. He openly denounced religious practices that were not acceptable to the worship of the Creator. He avoided political entanglements and criticized leaders who were unjust. He told people that they had to take responsibility for their lives and be willing to admit when they were wrong.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that it's not just immoral to commit murder, a truly moral person learns to control anger. He even condemned real hate speech. Jesus also taught that a truly moral person not only avoids sexual relationships outside of marriage, but avoids sexual thoughts about someone who isn't his or her spouse.
This may seem like an impossible standard, but Jesus taught that it is one worth striving to achieve. It is time for Christians to stop being intimidated by those who attack the teachings of Jesus and the Bible as hate speech. In the arena of debate about the meaning of human life, the only workable answers come from the Creator of life. WNP
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"We're Mortgaging Our Children's Future!"

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/

"We're Mortgaging Our Children's Future!"
A commentary by Ron Kelley
"We're mortgaging our children's future!" "We're passing down a mountain of debt to our children and grandchildren!" These sentiments are among the angry shouts of people who are furious with what they denounce as reckless spending by government officials. This is not only happening in the United States. Many other nations are feeling the crush of enormous debt being heaped on them and the generations to come after them by governments bent on trying to spend their way out of the recession.
In America, all anyone needs to do to verify our runaway debt is to take a few minutes to look at the display of the U.S. National Debt Clock.
As of this writing, the current U.S. national debt stands at $12,136,000,000, or $39,380 for every man, woman and child in the United States.
Brian M. Riedl of the Institute for Economic Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation, wrote: "The new budget spending estimates are alarming and absolutely unsustainable—and are the true cause of these appalling levels of deficit and debt. President Obama has proposed massive tax increases that still cannot keep up with the historic spending increases he has proposed. The result will be highest level of spending—and debt—in American history" ("New Budget Estimates Show Unsustainable Spending and Debt," Aug. 25, 2009).
What does this mean for our children? If we cannot pay this debt, it will not simply go away. It will just be pushed into future years, with billions of dollars in interest piled on top of an already mountainous debt. If we can't afford it now, how will they afford it later? How will they be able to maintain the standard of living their parents and grandparents enjoyed? The simple answer is: They won't. Our children will suffer the consequences of the reckless, out-of-control spending of their parents' generation.
The apostle Paul matter-of-factly states the commonsense wisdom that has been the norm throughout history: "For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children" (2 Corinthians 12:14).
But, sadly, in our world today, it seems our children are destined to endure pain because of the selfishness and greed of the generation preceding theirs. Our generation has had no hesitation in passing along to our children a financial nightmare that will take great personal sacrifices to repair—if it can be repaired.
Responsible parents should be willing to prevent the suffering of their children and make those personal sacrifices today. Apparently, many are not. How about you? Are you concerned about the consequences of our growing debt? What can you do for your children and grandchildren?
You can help your children and grandchildren by reducing or eliminating your personal debt and managing your finances wisely. Begin by taking a look at your responsibilities as described in the chapter "Financial Security and Peace of Mind" from the free booklet Making Life Work. This article is based on biblical wisdom that is the only real source of financial peace of mind and the hope that we and our children need.



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