Prophecy in the news - RSS Feed

"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book:
for the time is at hand." - Rev 22:10 

Updated
01/01/07

Thanks again, Chris

Thank-you

Quote: "Haniyeh said Hamas, whose charter calls to destroy Israel, was ready to consider talks if the Jewish state withdrew from the West Bank and East Jerusalem and recognised the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees who fled, or were forced to leave, in the 1948 war and their descendants. In response, Israeli cabinet minister Meir Sheetrit told Israel's Army Radio: "I wish they would change their positions...They (Hamas) may be starting to speak another language." If Hamas were to accept Israel's conditions to recognize Israel and renounce violence, "we won't have any trouble speaking to Hamas, and to reach a settlement", Sheetrit said.

It seems like some sort of interim agreement may eventually be made, for Israel is to be at rest (not necessarily at peace though) before Russia, Iran, Turkey and Sudan, etc invade. 

Ezekiel 38:11-12 
And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

Update: Hamas leader Haniyeh now claims he has been misquoted by the Washington Post. Hamas has not offered to recognise Israel's right to exist, but only if Israelis withdrew to pre-1967 borders, could Hamas negotiate a long-term Hudna (truce).

Quote: "Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said his movement would not cave in to pressure to recognize Israel. "Why should we recognize Israel?" he asked. "Has Israel recognized the Palestinian people or the right of return for the refugees?"

Source Reuters, Jerusalem Post

Quote: "The MoU was signed in Teheran on Feb. 21 and marked the end of a three-day meeting between Iranian and Turkish officials. The meeting of the Turkey-Iran High Security Commission brought together representatives of the interior ministries of both countries. "I can state that we're in full agreement concerning tight and absolute cooperation against PKK terror and jointly fighting PKK activity in the region," Turkish Interior Ministry Undersecretary Sahabettin Harput said. 

It's extremely interesting to see how dialogue between Turkey and Iran is increasing. Turkey is supposedly a moderate Muslim nation, and Israel's closest Muslim partner. But just a few days ago, Turkey welcomed the prospect of talks with Hamas, much to the dismay of Israel and Western nations, who are trying to isolate the terrorist group. Both Turkey and Iran are mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39, as forming part of a Russian/Muslim axis that will invade Israel in the "last days". 

Source Middle East News Line

Quote: ""If there is a civil war in this country it will never end," Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi, a minority Sunni Muslim in the Shi'ite-led interim government, told a news conference. "We are ready to fill the streets with armored vehicles." Iraq's 200,000-plus, U.S.-trained security forces have few tanks but U.S. forces, which routinely patrol Baghdad with heavy armor, are also standing by, commanders said. The loyalties of the untried police and Iraqi army could be tested in any clash with militias from which many were recruited. 

Amid the renewed violence, Japan has stated it plans to withdraw its troops from the troubled country next month. Many Christians believe Babylon, located in Iraq, is soon to become the international trade centre of the world. Whether this city mentioned in Revelation is physical Babylon, or some metaphorical Babylon such as New York, I don't know. Needless to say, the world's eyes are now on Iraq, and that must be significant. But the peace doesn't last for long. Later on, commercial Babylon is suddenly destroyed, possibly by a nuclear device. 

Revelation 18:15-18
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment (fear of radiation?), weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

Source Reuters

Quote: "Livingstone sparked the rumpus when reporter Oliver Finegold of the city's Evening Standard newspaper cornered him outside a private party for a gay politician in February 2005. When the reporter identified himself as working for the Standard, a paper loathed by the mayor, Livingstone asked: "Have you thought of having treatment?" and then: "What did you do? Were you a German war criminal?" Finegold said he was Jewish and found the remarks offensive, to which Livingstone replied that by pestering him the reporter was acting "like a concentration camp guard -- you are just doing it because you are paid to."

Just weeks after the July 7th London bombings, Ken Livingstone was back to his old tricks again, comparing Israel's leading Likud Party, then governed by Ariel Sharon, to Hamas, calling them both "two sides of the same coin". He also justified Palestinian suicide bombers, stating that, "given that the Palestinians don't have jet planes, don't have tanks, they only have their bodies to use as weapons". I hope it's a long month for Ken...

Source Reuters

Israel's leading newspaper has reported that Al-Qaeda may be planning a mega-attack in Israel sometime this year, that may eclipse the September 11th attacks in America. This news comes just 24 hours after an Israeli IDF commander was forced to apologize over statements he made about Jordan's King Abdullah, that he would probably be the last Hashemite king, due to an Islamic axis that seeks to overthrow moderate Muslim countries as well as Israel, in an effort to gain power in the region.

Quote: "The shift within al-Qaeda, which has changed the focus from a global Islamic revolution to the Middle East, is a result of Osama Bin Laden's weakening position within the organization. Meanwhile, Bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has boosted his position and the leading operatives of the group today hail from Egypt, like Zawahiri. Those operatives, whose roots can be found in the Islamic Brotherhood movement, cling to a doctrine that stresses the need to bring about Islamic revolutions in moderate Arab countries, with an emphasis on Egypt and Jordan. The bottom line: The Middle East has become global Jihad's favored target, and Israel is now one of the main targets in the region.

Source Y Net

Quote: "Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is interested in initiating "intensive negotiations" that will last no more than six months immediately following the upcoming Israeli elections, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said in a meeting with Meretz-Yachad Chairman Yossi Beilin. According to Erekat, the results of such talks will be submitted to a national referendum that will bind any Palestinian government. (Roee Nahmias)  

If successful, that would put a peace agreement on the table between Israel and the Palestinians by the end of the year. Clearly, Hamas gaining power has put further pressure on Israel and the Palestinians to reach some sort of deal quickly, in order to isolate Hamas before they can gain more power.

Source Y Net

Quote: "Among other things, the EU's top foreign policy official said after meeting the leader of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIS), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu "I expressed our sincere regret that religious feelings have been hurt", vowing "to reach out...to make sure that people’s hearts and minds are not hurt again." Dutch daily De Telegraaf quotes the Dutch state secretary for European Affairs Atzo Nicolai as characterising the tone used by Mr Solana as "shocking." Speaking at a political debate on Monday (20 February) Mr Nicolai said "He has toured around in order to offer apologies. On behalf of whom, I ask. You and me? We haven't drawn those cartoons."

Source EUObserver

Yesterday, Shiite Muslim terrorist destroyed one of Iraq's most revered Muslim shrine's, that threatens to send the country further into civil war. Two bombs were detonated inside Iraq's golden domed mosque, destroying the dome completely and causing severe damage to the rest of the building. Thousands of Sunni Muslims staged angry protests throughout Iraq, amid appeals for calm issued by the Iraqi President. Iranian President Ahmadinejad put the blame for the destruction of the mosque on Israel, and the multi-national force that overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime.

Quote: "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blamed the United States and Israel on Thursday for the blowing up of a Shi'ite shrine's golden dome in Iraq, saying it was the work of "defeated Zionists and occupiers." Speaking to a crowd of thousands on tour of south-western Iran, the president referred to the destruction of the Askariya mosque dome in Samarra on Wednesday, which the Iraqi government has blamed on insurgents. 

In an effort to decrease tensions, and possibly to repair Muslims relations at home after the publication of the cartoons, Prime Minister Tony Blair has promised British money will go towards repairing the dome.

Quote: ""The perpetrators of this act had one motive and one alone," Blair said. "They want to cause strife and violence between Sunni and Shia to derail democracy currently taking hold in Iraq." Blair said foreign secretary Jack Straw would be discussing how to rebuild the landmark shrine with Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Ja'afari.

Source Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post

The world is just 4 weeks away from a global economic crisis of unparalleled proportions. That's according to a European political analytical group, LEAP or Laboratoire européen d’Anticipation Politique Europe 2020. The group sees seven major world crises all converging in the last week of March 2006, which could represent the most significant world-shaking event since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Quote: "According to LEAP/E2020, the non-accidental conjunction of the Iranian and American decisions, is a decisive stage in the release of a systemic crisis marking the end of the international order set up after World War II, and will be characterised between the end of March and the end of the year 2006 by a plunge in the dollar (possibly down to 1 Euro = 1,70 US Dollars in 2007) putting an immense upward pressure on the Euro, a significant rise of the oil price (over 100$ per barrel), an aggravation of the American and British military situations in the Middle East, a US budgetary, financial and economic crisis comparable in scope with the 1929 crisis, very serious economic and financial consequences for Asia in particular (namely China) but also for the United Kingdom[8], a sudden stop in the economic process of globalisation, a collapse of the transatlantic axis leading to a general increase of all the domestic and external political dangers all over the world.

The analysts of LEAP conclude that "all possible scenarios now lead to one single result: we collectively approach a "historical node" which is henceforth inevitable whatever the action of international or national actors". This of course is what myself and many other Christians have been saying for the last few months regarding the situation in Iran. If Israel or America attack Iran's nuclear facilities, we will face an international conflict with Russia and many Muslim nations. If they sit back and let Iran develop the weapons, we will ultimately face a international conflict with Russia and many Muslim nations. It seems the world is hurtling towards the fulfilment of Ezekiel 38-39, and there is nothing we can do about it.

Source Newropeans Magazine

Quote: "Mashaal also said at the meeting that "negotiations with Israel are a waste of time until Israeli leaders decide to leave the Palestinian territories." Ahmadinejad urged Mashaal and other visiting officials to continue their "jihad" against the Jewish state. "Based on the international regulations, your future government could fight for liberation of your occupied land," the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted him as saying. He did not elaborate. The president said Israel was created when Muslims were asleep, "but today with the wave of Islamic awareness, the occupiers lack peace and welfare."

Source Jerusalem Post

Quote: "GSS Chief Diskin hopes to nip all talk of a possible hudna in the bud. He told the Knesset committee today that Israel "must not accept a hudna even if proposed. It would lead to a long-term strategic threat upon Israel. If there is a hudna, Hamas will use it to stabilize its rule and form a fundamentalist extremist Islamic entity with terrorist capabilities... Hamas has a lot of patience, just like the Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt." Diskin said that Islamic terrorists from all over the Middle East would arrive in Judea and Samaria and "form an Islamic terrorist state on our doorstep." He also warned that the strengthening of a Hamas Authority would also embolden Israeli-Arabs against Israel, as occurred in the beginning of the Oslo War in 2000.

But in the interests of world peace (and cheap oil), I believe the international community will eventually pressure Israel into talking to Hamas. It's already starting, with countries such as Russia, France, Sudan and Turkey agreeing to talks. The truce will be seen by the international community as making the best of a bad situation, and if Israel fails to comply they will be seen as the aggressors.  

Source Arutz 7

The Iranian Foreign Minister is in Brussels today, and plans to speak with the Javier Solana, the EU Secretary for the Common, Foreign and Security Policy, about the possibility of re-starting negotiations. Iran hinted that a deal may be possible with Russia, with certain preconditions attached, but refused to halt its Uranium enrichment process. Talks are underway in Russia as I type. This looks like it may be the last attempt to broker a deal, before military intervention is given the go ahead.

But this looks like it may be just another attempt at stalling the Europeans, at least until Iran can declare it possesses nuclear weapons.

Quote: "American reports in recent months, speculating about the possibility of a campaign against Iran because of the failure of diplomatic efforts to thwart a potential nuclear weapons program, have suggested that sustained military action, rather than a single strike, may be required given the number of Iranian nuclear facilities, their divergent locations and Iranian defenses.

Yesterday, Iranian Intelligence Minister, Mohseni Ejehei, warned that Israel risked swift retaliation if it considered attacking the country in any planned strike.  

Ezekiel 38:16 
And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

Source Jerusalem Post, BBC

Quote: "Mobs of Muslim protesters flooded the northeast city of Maiduguri with machetes, sticks and iron rods, reported an Associated Press journalist that witnessed the event. One group threw a tire around a man, poured gasoline on him and set him on fire. Reports indicated that within three hours, thousands of rioters burned 15 churches in Maiduguri before security forces were able to restore order.

To date, around forty five people - including protestors, have died as a result of Islamic unrest worldwide, incited by the publication of the cartoons and encouraged by Islamic governments. Thousands of protestors in Afghanistan today cried death chants against America and Denmark, while praising Osama bin Laden and threatened to join al-Qaeda if the insults against Mohammed continued. 

Source Christian Post, Reuters

Wars and rumours of wars
UK: 40% of Muslims want Sharia law
19/2/06

Quote: "Last night, Sadiq Khan, the Labour MP involved with the official task force set up after the July attacks, said the findings were "alarming". He added: "Vast numbers of Muslims feel disengaged and alienated from mainstream British society." Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "This poll confirms the widespread opposition among British Muslims to the so-called war on terror."

The government previously believed this Islamic fundamentalist attitude was limited to a small minority of the Muslim community, and that Islam was a religion of peace. But this new poll has revealed that around 20% of British Muslims are sympathetic to views of the July 7th bombers, that killed around 60 innocent people. The reason given by the July 7th bombers for their attack was the belief that British and US support for Israel is the main cause of conflict in the Middle East.

Source Telegraph

Quote: "Hamas chief Meshal believes that he can gain the world's acceptance of the group without renouncing terrorism or accepting Israel's right to exist. "We want the world, and especially the countries in the West, to understand us, to understand Hamas well, to understand the will of the Palestinian people, the national goals of Hamas and the Palestinian people," he told reporters in flight from Turkey to Syria.

It seems as if the line up from Ezekiel 38 is forming, slowly but surely... Nearly all the states mentioned in Ezekiel 38 have now invited Hamas for talks. 

Ezekiel 38:3-6 
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

Gog - Russia
Persia - Iran
Ethiopia - Apparently Sudan
Libya
Gomer - Turkey
Togarmah - Turkey

Russia was the first to give Hamas official recognition. Turkey has now invited Hamas for talks, and Hamas leaders were in Sudan last week. This only leaves Libya as the remaining country of this unholy alliance to give official recognition to the new Hamas government.

Quote: "Mashaal and other officials from the militant movement are conducting a regional and international tour to rally support before forming the new Palestinian government. Mashaal said Tuesday in Sudan that the Palestinian group had no plans to recognise Israel, one of three conditions set by the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations for dealing with a Hamas-led government.

Source Arutz 7, Biblical Studies, Reuters, Zee News

Quote: "Immediately after Abbas's speech, Hamas rejected the call for recognizing and negotiating with Israel. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that the group "rejects negotiations with the occupation, especially since [Israel] still practices collective punishment against our people."

This development has caused one Israeli spokesman to declare that "from now on, we will define the Palestinian Authority as an enemy". Hamas has offered Israel a long term ceasefire, but refuses to recognise the state. Hamas leaders have stated that such a ceasefire would only form part of their long term strategy for the complete annihilation of Israel, allowing them time to build up their arms before one final offensive, just as Mohammed once offered peace to Mecca and later wiped it out. These are clearly dark days for Israel, and the international community seems powerless to do anything about it. If they don't support Hamas, they will be seen as hindering Arab democracy. If they do support Hamas, they will be compliant in the destruction of Israel.

Source Jerusalem Post

RFID implants have been given a new spin this week. Yes, forget security and identity theft, part of the doctrine of fear which the governments are now pushing on us. Getting a VeriChip, or something similar, could be just the ticket to spice up your love life. 

Quote: "Grand gestures of love take many forms on Valentine's Day -- flowers, chocolate, romantic dinners -- but a tech-savvy couple has taken it to a new level. Jennifer Tomblin and Amal Graafstra have made the most modern declaration of their affection for each other, with implanted electronic chips that allow them unfettered access to each other's lives. It's called Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID. Both have had a small electronic chip embedded under their skin that grants access to each other's front doors and home computers. The system works like a key-card. A simple swipe of the wrist across an electronic sensor, and they're in. The couple sees the decision as a modern declaration of love that also happens to be functional.

The fact that this report is just unadulterated spin, aimed at conditioning the general public into accepting these devices, is blatantly obvious. I actually linked to Amal's RFID implant site on the Mark of the Beast page some weeks ago, long before Valentine's day arrived. Both Amal and his girlfriend had the implants back then, so why is this news article on Amal appearing only now? It seems VeriChip, and other chip makers, are trying desperately to market their implants as a fashion accessory, to try and reach the younger generation, who are more susceptible to modern marketing methods. 

Source CTV

Quote: "Earlier this week Chief Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin warned that Russia's Muslims would stage violent protests if the march went ahead. "If they come out on to the streets anyway they should be flogged. Any normal person would do that - Muslims and Orthodox Christians alike ... [The protests] might be even more intense than protests abroad against those controversial cartoons." The cleric said the Koran taught that homosexuals should be killed because their lifestyle spells the extinction of the human race and said that gays had no human rights.

Ironically I would agree with these comments, that the homosexual lifestyle spells the extinction of the human race (although I don't think they should be killed). Marriage is revered in Middle Eastern culture to such an extent that even Jewish people can't understand how somebody can remain single. They believe they must have displeased God in some way for them to be found in such a state. But for a man to marry another man truly is an abomination, both their eyes and God's.

Isaiah 3:9 
The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

Source Independent

I don't know a whole lot about the book of Mormon, but it seems the Mormon Church is coming under fire over recent discoveries in the science of genetics. Mormons claim they are descendants of Israelites who travelled to America after the Diaspora. But new DNA evidence has shown that the native Americans came from Asia, over the land bridge in Alaska, and not from Europe or the Middle East.

Quote: "A few years ago, Loayza said, his faith was shaken and his identity stripped away by DNA evidence showing that the ancestors of American natives came from Asia, not the Middle East. "I've gone through stages," he said. "Absolutely denial. Utter amazement and surprise. Anger and bitterness." For Mormons, the lack of discernible Hebrew blood in Native Americans is no minor collision between faith and science. It burrows into the historical foundations of the Book of Mormon, a 175-year-old transcription that the church regards as literal and without error.

Mormons disregard our Scriptures in favour of the book of Mormon, and believe a number of different things regarding Jesus Christ. Namely that He and Satan were brothers, and both presented their plan of salvation for mankind to God. Satan's plan was to rule over mankind by force, while Jesus' plan was about love and sacrifice. Satan's plan was rejected, and Jesus' was accepted. They believe that just as Jesus is now a god, that we will also one day become gods if we believe in the book of Mormon, essentially the original lie Satan told Adam and Eve.

Source LA Times

Quote: ""[Gharavian] said that he sees no problem with the military use of nuclear weapons [sic]: 'One must say that when the entire world is armed with nuclear weapons, it is only natural that, as a counter-measure, it is necessary to be able to use these weapons. However, what is important is what goal they may be used for." "The Ultra-[Conservatives] in Iran Have Launched a New Effort to Prepare the Religious Grounds for Use of These Weapons"

At the height of the cold war, states like America and Russia, both possessing thousands of nuclear warheads, went to great lengths to ensure that the world was not dragged into a nuclear war. Both nations knew that nobody wins in a nuclear war, and both were unwilling to risk the lives of millions of their own people. But not so with Islam. Fanatical Islam teaches that those who die a "martyr" for the cause of Islam will be rewarded in the afterlife, bestowed with 70 perpetual virgins, in paradise. Couple Islam with nuclear weapons, and you end up with the most deadly philosophy ever imagined - a regime that is willing to sacrifice millions of its own people for the sake of wounding its enemy.

Revelation 8:7 
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Source MEMRI

Quote: "In the tapes, Saddam Hussein says: "Terrorism is coming. I told the Americans... and told the British as well... that in the future there will be terrorism with weapons of mass destruction. "In the future, what would prevent that we see a booby-trapped car causing a nuclear explosion in Washington or a germ or a chemical one? "This is coming, this story is coming but not from Iraq.

Although an extremely evil man, who financed the families of Palestinian suicide bombers, killed thousands of his own people, and who was building a weapons programme himself - now hidden in Syria, many people feel that perhaps Saddam was the only one capable of keeping the three Iraqi Muslim factions under control. Now British and US forces are coming under increasing pressure to get out of Iraq, and unless someone appears on the scene that is able to unite all Muslims together in peace (i.e. false prophet), it doesn't look like there is much hope for that country.  

Source BBC

The Organization Islamic Conference has submitted a five point action plan to the EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, regarding the recent controversy over the Mohammed cartoons. Javier Solana is currently on a five day tour of the Middle East, trying to appease Islamic unrest over the European publications. 

Quote: "In the meantime, they approved a five-point suggestion presented recently by the OIC secretary general to the High Representative for Secretary-General of the Council of the EU Javier Solana, intended to prevent a similar crisis from happening again. These five points include issuing legislations by the EU Parliament against the anti-Islam phenomena in the west and exerting joint efforts by both the EU the OIC to issue a UN resolution forbidding offences against religions and prophets. The suggestion also contained approving a charter of ethics for the European media and an international media system to be set by the UN that identifies the freedom of expression concept in dealing with religious symbols. The suggestion also includes listing an article in the upcoming human rights council's resolution banning the defamation of religions and calls for hatred.

As I said before, this Islamic unrest is playing straight into the hands of those directing the New World Order. The Islamic action plan is wide ranging, and if implemented, would give sweeping powers to the EU and the UN to draft laws "forbidding offences against religions and prophets". That smacks of the Incitement to Religious Hatred laws that Tony Blair tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to bring into Britain recently. Those laws, if passed, might have made it possible for an accuser to bring someone to court, only needing to prove that an offence was caused regardless of intentions. The plan will also call for an international media system to be set up by the UN, which could mean global censorship of the world's media, under one body. Fundamentalism, whether Islamic or Christian, is the biggest threat to the implementation of the New World Order, and these laws are aimed, not at destroying religion, but ensuring that we abide by New World Order rules, becoming good global citizens.

Source Kuna

Quote: "All the 640,000 trees planted are species that are indigenous to the Land of Israel. Some 45% of the planted saplings were conifer trees such as cyprus, pine, and cedar, while 40% of them were carob, pistachio and oak trees. The remaining 15% were fruit trees including olives, figs, pomegranates, and grape vines.

Isaiah 41:18-20 
I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the olive tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

Source Arutz 7

But one has to wonder how this is all fitting into the big picture. I doubt these protests are happening just because of the cartoons. The protests are organized, even sanctioned by Islamic governments, and it seems the West is pandering to this Islamic unrest, instead of nipping it in the bud. Why? Perhaps it is in the West's interests to allow the chaos to continue for a time. This will give Western governments the excuse to clamp down hard with freedom-infringing anti-terror laws. Now is the best time to get these laws passed while the protests are fresh in everyone's minds. The problem is deeper than just some cartoons printed in a newspaper. There is a religious and cultural gulf that separates East from West, and even Europeans from European Muslims. 

I imagine the EU Commissioners are working feverously on adapting the EU Constitution to appear as the binding force between all Europeans, regardless of ethnic background or religion. Javier Solana, who is on a five day tour of Muslim nations, apologizing for us all, is currently working on a UN "Islamaphobia"  code. So perhaps asking all European states to adopt the EU Constitution as a matter of urgency over continuing unrest may just give the European Public enough of the "stick" approach to vote for the humanistic treaty.

Quote: "The EU's top foreign policy official on Monday visited Saudi Arabia, where he met the leader of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. The OIC is pushing for the United Nations to adopt a reference against blasphemy in the tenets of a new human rights body. Mr Solana on Tuesday signalled the EU might be supportive of this idea, stating "We are working on some ideas. I cannot be very precise, but we are working on some ideas that maybe it is possible to get through," according to Reuters. Deutsche Welle quotes Mr Solana’s spokeswoman Cristina Gallach as saying "They want mechanisms to guarantee this is not repeated and we should be able to find it in UN conventions on human rights." 

Source BBC, EU Observer

Quote: "A spokeswoman for the ministry told Reuters two of four dead swans found on the Baltic Sea island of Ruegen had registered positive in an initial test for the virus -- the first such positive result in Germany. The spokeswoman added that Agriculture and Consumer Protection Minister Horst Seehofer was due to make a statement in Berlin on the matter at 2045 GMT. "Our emergency committee is meeting right now," the spokeswoman said, adding that samples were on the way to the reference laboratory in Great Britain for further testing.

The reason why scientists are most afraid of this particular strain is because of it's similarity to human influenza, which is highly infectious. Viruses often swap genetic material, enabling them to become immune to various drugs and jump from species to species. It was previously believed that through science, man would one day eradicate disease, but it seems that those false "prophecies" have been blown apart by new super-bugs that are resistant to all known drugs, and that can be spread across the globe in a matter of hours through the modern convenience of air-travel. The Lord Jesus said that pestilences (or disease) will become a particular characteristic of the end times...

Luke 21:10-11 
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Source Reuters

Quote: "Sean Darks, chief executive of the company, also had one of the chips embedded. "I have one," he said. "I'm not going to ask somebody to do something I wouldn't do myself. None of my employees are forced to get the chip to keep their job." The chips are the size of a grain of rice and a doctor embedded them in the forearm just under the surface of the skin, Darks said. They work "like an access card. There's a reader outside the door; you walk up to the reader, put your arm under it, and it opens the door," Darks said.  

Source CNN

Quote: "Al Aqsa's Abu Nasser claims Israel put Hamas in power, and says his group is preparing a new terror onslaught as a result. "For the last 10 months we respected a cease fire expecting to see changes in the lives of the Palestinian people, but we received from the Israeli side more assassinations ... and above all we received the Hamas victory, which seems to be the result of an Israeli and international conspiracy. They believe that Hamas will give up easier our lands and rights. I think that they are right, but we will not allow this to happen. We will fight and we will blow up the new intifada," Abu Nasser told WND.

Source WorldNetDaily

The UK Labour government gained a major victory in the House of Commons yesterday, after an amendment to the national ID card bill proposed by the House of Lord's was rejected by the government. With this legislation in its current form, all British citizens seeking to renew their passports after 2008 will be forced to also apply for a national ID card, costing around £93. The government promised to introduce fresh legislation before the law comes into affect, to ensure the bill would pass through the House of Lords next time round.

Quote: "The Government's success in overturning the series of defeats inflicted by peers means that within two years people renewing or applying for passports will be required to have an ID card, at a cost of £93 for both documents.

Britain did once adopt a national identity card system, during the war years. But this proposal, which Mr Blair says will help cut fraud and terrorism (how?), is yet another step towards conditioning the public into accepting a compulsory personal identification system, which will eventually engulf the globe. 

Source Telegraph

The remarks came as military analysts in the US are assessing "all military options" regarding a possible air strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The President threatened that unless the West removed the state of Israel from Palestine, they would face the wrath of the surrounding Muslim nations. As usual, if anything goes wrong, just blame Israel.

Quote: ""The people of the U.S. and Europe should pay a heavy price for becoming hostages to Zionists," Ahmadinejad declared. "We ask the West to remove what they created sixty years ago and if they do not listen to our recommendations, then the Palestinian nation and other nations will eventually do this for them. Do the removal of Israel before it is too late and save yourself from the fury of regional nations."

The most likely scenario, according to the London Telegraph, will consist of American B2 bombers, using laser-guided bunker-buster bombs to destroy the nuclear facilities, coupled with UK Trident submarines launching Ballistic missiles fitted with conventional warheads. With the rhetoric of war continuing to stream out of Iran, it is now inevitable that we will face a third regional conflict in the Middle East, and one that directly involves Israel. 

Source WorldNetDaily

Quote: "Addressing huge crowds in Tehran, Mr Ahmadinejad said that Iranian policy was based on the peaceful use of nuclear technology for "industry, medicine and economy". "Until now the Islamic Republic has pursued its nuclear effort within the context of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Non-Proliferation Treaty," he said. An Iranian man wearing a slogan supporting nuclear technology for peaceful use A huge crowd turned out to listen to the president "However, if we see that despite our respect for these regulations you want to violate the rights of the Iranian people, you should understand the Iranian nation will revise its policies," he warned.

This leaves the world in an impossible situation. If we do nothing, Iran will continue its covert Uranium enrichment programme. If we act, Iran cancels the nuclear proliferation treaty, and will continue its Uranium enrichment programme. Even if the nuclear facilities are hit, Iran has several underground laboratories in which the conversion process can continue unhindered.

Iran previously threatened to start industrial Uranium enrichment and raise the price of oil to bankrupt the West, if sanctions were placed on it by the UN. As a result, a friend of mine James Chai says sanctions will not work. Around 13% of China's oil imports come from Iran, and even if the West could find other sources, China's booming economy will not take kindly to having to pay extortionate prices for oil. Clearly the Middle East situation is ready to explode, and European armies along with China's 200 million men will find themselves marching on the Middle East in a vain attempt to secure the last remaining world resources for themselves. 

Source BBC

Quote: ""We haven't considered Hamas a terrorist organisation. Today we must recognise that Hamas has reached power in Palestine as a result of legitimate elections," Mr Putin said at a news conference in Madrid. A spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry said the president's remarks apparently put Russia at odds with the other members of the quartet. The spokesman also reiterated that Israel would not negotiate with Hamas until it recognised Israel's right to exist, renounced terror and accepted the Middle East peace process.

In reality, the reason why Hamas gained power is because Israel submitted to the will of the international community in allowing Hamas to be put on the election ballots. With Russia making ever-increasing gestures against Western political influence, in an attempt to restore its former Soviet empire days, it seems these developments, after Iran, are a further hook in the jaws for a Leviathan that will be brought against Israel in the latter days.

Ezekiel 38:4 
And I will turn thee (Magog) back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

Source BBC

Quote: "According to the Freedom for Egyptians blog, al-Fagr included the cartoons on the front cover and page 17 of its edition dated Oct. 17. The headline, when translated, is said to read: "Continued Boldness. Mocking the Prophet and his wife by Caricature." "The Egyptian paper criticized the bad taste of the cartoons but it did not incite hatred protests," notes the blog.

But as far as the rest of the world is concerned, events are continuing to spiral out of control. Islamic unrest hit Cape Town today, as tens of thousands of Muslims marched in protest over the cartoons that were published in the European press last week, and echoed calls for Danish products to be boycotted. It seems that these protests are being fuelled by a combination of hatred for Western culture and incitement from fanatical Islam and terrorist groups. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the spiritual leader of the Lebanese terror group, Hizbullah, told President Bush and other leaders to "shut up" after they stated that the Syrian and Iranian protests could not have occurred without official sanction by their governments. The Sheik addressed a crowd of over 700,000 Muslims, and urged them to keep protesting until they receive an apology from the West...

Quote: "Whipping up the crowds on the most solemn day for Shi'ites worldwide, Nasrallah declared: "Defending the prophet should continue all over the world. Let Condoleezza Rice and Bush and all the tyrants shut up. We are an Islamic nation that cannot tolerate, be silent or be lax when they insult our prophet and sanctities." "We will uphold the messenger of God not only by our voices but also by our blood," he told the crowds, estimated by organizers at about 700,000. Police officers had no final estimates but put the figure at even higher.

And it seems an apology is what they will get, thanks to Javier Solana, who is taking it on himself to apologize in person to the Islamic world on behalf of us all. The EU Commission is also working on a new code of conduct for European media groups, governing religious publications, although this code will apparently not be enshrined in law. 

Quote: "Frattini, a former Italian foreign minister, said millions of Muslims in Europe felt "humiliated" by the cartoons. His proposed voluntary code would urge the media to respect all religious sensibilities but would not offer privileged status to any one faith. The code would be drawn up by the European Commission, the EU executive body, and European media outlets, he said. It would not have legal status. The EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana is to travel to Arab and Muslim countries in an attempt to calm the anger caused by the cartoons.

Source WorldNetDaily, Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post, CNN

Quote: "Farid Mortazavi, graphics editor for Tehran's Hamshahri newspaper, said that the deliberately inflammatory contest would test out how committed Europeans were to the concept freedom of expression. "The Western papers printed these sacrilegious cartoons on the pretext of freedom of expression, so let's see if they mean what they say and also print these Holocaust cartoons," he said.

But the Western liberal media is worse, for we ought to know better. The British press has often printed anti-Semitic cartoons equating Jews with Nazis, and once characterized Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as giant who ate the heads of Palestinian babies, and drank their blood. This particular cartoon won the Political Cartoon Society's "Cartoon of the year".

It seems in an effort to get the Muslim world of its back, the editor of the Danish newspaper that started all the fuss is prepared to print our friend Ahmadinejad's cartoons, on the exact same day they are published in Iran. Nobody can say we don't treat everybody equally in Europe. We don't discriminate, if we offend one group of people, we offend them all.

Quote: ""My newspaper is trying to establish a contact with the Iranian newspaper, and we would run the cartoons the same day as they publish them," Flemming Rose said Wednesday in an interview on CNN's "American Morning." The Iranian newspaper Hamshahri said Tuesday that it would hold the competition to test whether the West extended the principle of freedom of expression to the Nazi genocide as it did to the caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad.

Source Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post

Quote: "Dr. Irene Lancaster, of the Center for Jewish Studies at Manchester University, said the vote marked "a very black day for Anglican-Jewish relations." "The Jewish community will have to reconsider their attitude to interfaith work with the Anglican community," she said, adding, "The writing is on the wall for the Jews of Great Britain, 350 years after they settled here." The symbolism of this vote was that "Israel will be criticized regardless of what happens," Benjamin said. In the mind of the Church of England, "nothing Israel ever will do will be right, while nothing the Palestinians will do will ever be wrong," he charged.

In reality this represents just another pressure for the Israeli settlements in "occupied" territory. A few years ago, the EU forced Israel to print the origin of food products on its labels, for the purpose of applying financial pressure on the country and those companies operating outside the pre-1967 boundaries. Perhaps the real reason behind this vote is that membership of the Church of England has fallen so dramatically in recent years, that leaders of the denomination recently decided that the body needed to become more involved in the world politically or face irrelevance. 

Sadly those leaders of the Church of England do not realize you cannot hold a position in a world that is at enmity with God. Their political ambition has driven them to side with the world and curse Israel, and they will ultimately find themselves opposing the Mighty God of Jacob.

Isaiah 54:15 
Behold, they shall surely gather together, [but] not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. 

Source Jerusalem Post

Quote: ""If we don't get the right agreement internationally for the period after which the Kyoto protocol will expire -- that's in 2012 -- if we don't do that then I think we are in serious trouble," he told a parliamentary committee. Asked if the world had seven years to implement measures on climate change before the problem reached "tipping point", Blair answered: "Yes". 

Considering all the recent news regarding the 2007-2013 time period, it is very significant that Tony Blair should state that the world has until 2012 to do something about climate change. Many Christians are feeling that these seven years could be the fulfilment of Daniel 9:27 and the book of Revelation, marking the seven year tribulation. 

1) Israel seems to be working towards the goal of making a peace agreement by the end of this year, by making unilateral disengagements from areas captured during the Six Day war. Shimon Peres stated he hoped to see a deal done within the next few years (Daniel 9:27, Ezekiel 38:11).

2) The year 2007 should see the ratification of the European Constitution, fulfilling another Scripture, creating the role of a EU President and Foreign Minister, or the prince of the people of Rome (Daniel 9:26)

3) The EU Neighbourhood Policy, a seven year stability agreement with the EU and 16 Middle East nations, of whom Israel was first to sign, lasts from 2007-2013. To be ratified on January 1st, 2007 (Daniel 9:27).

4) Some other related "prophecies" (dark side) are from the Mayan Calendar, which is supposed to end in the year 2013.

5) It is also reported many "psychics" (dark side again) are not able to see into the future past the year 2013. I can't corroborate that, but that's what I heard, and is interesting if true. Why wouldn't demons let psychics see past 2013 unless something dramatic would have happened in that year, like Christ's coming Kingdom being set up?

6) Iran is expected to have nuclear weapons anywhere from 2007-2009, possibly fulfilling the prophecy of a Russian/Muslim invasion of Israel, in Ezekiel 38-39.

7) The EU is working towards implementing its 2010 Headline Goal, a military response group capable of being launched anywhere within the world in 5 to 10 days. If the years 2007-2013 turn out to be the tribulation period, the EU will have a force capable of fulfilling the Antichrist's invasion of the Middle East after the covenant fails (Daniel 11:40-45)

8) Now Tony Blair says the world has just seven years, or until 2012, to fix the global warming problem. This corresponds with descriptions in the book of Revelation regarding the plagues that will cause men to blaspheme the name of God (Revelation 16:8-9).

Friends, we're told by Scripture not to set dates for the Second Coming (Matthew 24:36), but Jesus said we would know when the season of His coming was near, "even at the doors". All I can say is that myself and many other Christians believe that the time is short, and that the events spoken of in Revelation will shortly come to pass. If you are not saved, if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour, the time is now to get right with Him, for another few months if not years, and you will be too late.

Mark 13:28-29
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Source Reuters

The US Drug Administration is planning to introduce a new scheme whereby all animals will be tracked by an RFID chip. The programme is called NAIS or National Animal Identification System, and proposals for the system are being drawn up for July 2006, with the introduction of mandatory animal tagging scheduled for mid 2009. Henry Lamb commented on the scheme in a WorldNetDaily article, calling it the "mark of the beast", and said that the government was trying to muscle in on controlling land, and now animals. 

Quote: "A seven digit number will be given to each registered “premise” and there will be $10 fee charged the premise owner. The government will then know who you are, where you are and what you have. Second, all animals will need to receive an identification number. Most livestock will be identified with a 15-digit number, which will create a cost for tagging each animal. According to Mary Zanoni, Ph.D. who wrote a comprehensive anti-NAIS article in the January issue of “Countryside” magazine, “The form of ID will most likely be a tag or microchip containing a Radio Frequency Identification Device.”

World governments will cite the need for such a system, with current concern over the spread of new deadly diseases such as bird flu. The time we experienced the foot and mouth disease in the UK, I was shocked at just how quickly the government was able to close down most of the countryside within days, even though Northern Ireland had no recorded cases of the disease. Mandatory tagging of animals will help condition the population into eventually receiving such devices for human use. And as soon as another catastrophe occurs on an international scale, it will be a natural progression for governments to require that everyone receive a chip in their right hand or forehead... for the good of the nation.

Source Sierra Times

Quote: "IPPF director general Steven Sinding said: "The UK is being very brave and very progressive in making this commitment. "We are deeply grateful for this gesture - not only financially, but also politically. "What I have never been able to figure out about American policy is why they persist in cutting down funding to organisations that are about preventing unwanted pregnancies. "Tens of thousands of women who depend on our services are not able to get them.

I could tell them why the US government does not support abortion. Over 100 million abortions are carried out per year worldwide, and 96% of those unwanted children are killed for social or economic reasons. Only 4% are carried out because the birth poses a health risk to the mother. Abortion activists in the US have recently been trying to get the horrendous procedure called partial-birth abortions legalized, where the baby is pulled out the birth canal backwards by forceps until only its head remains in the womb. The abortionist then jams the forceps into the baby's skull, opening them to enlarge the hole. A tube is then placed into the womb and the damaged parts of the child's brain are sucked out, and then the baby is removed.

Source BBC, Priests for Life

Quote: "Paisley said that he would oppose any return to an all-inclusive power-sharing executive modelled on the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. 'The day for the inclusive executive on such a basis is over forever. It is buried in a Sadducee's grave from which there is no resurrection. The foundation of the Agreement stinks in the grave, dug with the spade of truth.'

It is widely believed that the UK government did a deal with the IRA in order to get them to "disarm", with army installations being speedily removed just days after the IRA had declared it was decommissioning its weapons. Perhaps part of that agreement was a willingness by the UK government to turn a blind eye to the Northern Bank robbery, in which over 23 million pounds of cash were stolen in an IRA-style kidnapping. Tony Blair has made it financially worthwhile for the IRA to play by his rules.

Source Guardian

Quote: ""Attacks on citizens in Denmark and on people in other European countries are completely unacceptable as is the behaviour of some of the demonstrators in London over the last few days," Blair's spokesman said. Hundreds of people took part in a demonstration on Friday with placards calling for those who insulted Islam to be beheaded. One sign read: "Europe you will pay, your 9/11 will come".

It's ironic (again). Muslim protestors can carry banners calling on infidels to be beheaded, and they are given a police escort. Carry a gospel text through the streets of London and you will be put in jail.

Source Reuters

Quote: "Video footage showing mounted police attacking and beating back demonstrators at Amona was shown on giant video screens during the rally. A video showing MK Effie Eitam (National Union) being trampled and mauled by mounted police was repeatedly shown to counter government claims that Eitam violently engaged the police by throwing rocks at them.

Israel now believes it has no political partner for peace in the Middle East, and the effort to build a secure internationally recognized border will continue, despite the opposition of many observant Jews who see this as Israel giving back Jewish land to their enemies who attacked them in the Six Day war. But the international community will not be satisfied until Israel hands back all land to the Palestinian Authority including East Jerusalem, and Palestinian Authority won't be satisfied until Israel is driven into the sea.

Daniel 11:39 
Thus shall he (Antichrist) do in the most strong holds with a strange god (military might), whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

Source Jerusalem Post

Quote: ""We will hold Syria responsible for such violent demonstrations since they do not take place in that country without government knowledge and support," said presidential press secretary Scott McClellan.

The Arab European League has responded to the publication of the Mohammed cartoons, by publishing its own anti-Semitic cartoons on its website. The Danish government has advised all its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately. Yesterday the government advised Danish nationals to leave Syria over the recent anti-European violence

Quote: "In the Beirut riots, security officials said at least 30 people were injured, including policemen, fire fighters and protesters, as demonstrators rioted against cartoons originally published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten [view here]. Orange flames and thick, gray smoke were seen billowing from the 10-story building, which also houses the Austrian Embassy and Slovak consulate, as firefighters struggled to put out the flames. Protesters waved green flags from the broken windows of the building and threw papers and filing cabinets from the windows as firefighters tried to get them out..

I am wondering whether the recent anti-European violence may be being perpetrated in order to relieve recent international pressure on Syria and Iran regarding their nuclear programme and support for Palestinian terrorist organizations. If so it seems to be working.

Source Jerusalem Post, Arab European League

Quote: "Thousands of outraged Syrian demonstrators stormed the Danish Embassy in Damascus Saturday and set fire to the building in protest of offensive caricatures of Islam's prophet. Thick, black smoke was still rising from the three-story building as firefighters struggled tried to put out the flames. The protest started out peacefully but as anger escalated, people broke through police barriers and used the concrete barricades protecting the embassy as ladders to climb inside the building and set it on fire.

I believe these protests are being staged by terrorist groups across the Middle East. There is no way over 1000 people simultaneously turn up to destroy European property. And the fact that Europe is so morally debased is a further incentive for Muslims to destroy anything they see as linked to Western liberal culture.

Source Jerusalem Post

It seems that March is coming up again and again as a key time for the Middle East. The Israeli elections begin in March. the IAEA publishes its report in March. Israel and the US are thinking about carrying out an Iranian strike around that time to deal with the nuclear problem. And now sources within the US and Iran have revealed that Iran may be planning a nuclear weapons test, possibly as soon as March 22nd. 

Quote: "DEBKAfile’s Iranian sources add: FDI reporting has a reputation for credibility. Western and Israeli intelligence have known for more than six months that Iran’s nuclear program has reached the capability of being able to carry out a nuclear explosion, albeit underground. It would probably be staged in a desert or mountain region and activated by a distant control center. Tehran would aim at confronting the Americans, Europeans and Israelis with an irreversible situation. At the same time, an explosion of this sort would indicate that Iran is not yet able to produce a nuclear bomb that can be delivered by airplane or a warhead adapted to a missile. The stage Iran has reached is comparable to Pakistan’s when it conducted its first nuclear tests in the nineties and North Korea’s in 2001. All the same, an Iranian underground nuclear blast, which will most probably be attempted on March 22, would turn around the strategic position of all the parties concerned and the Middle East as whole. 

But that's not all that's happening in March. The Jewish feast of Purim is being celebrated in March. "Purim" means the casting of the "lot", and represents the day on which wicked Haman cast lots to decide on which day he would carry out the total destruction of the Jewish people. But the king's decision was reversed and Haman was destroyed, and now Jews celebrate those days of Purim as a time of rejoicing when God saved them from state-genocide.

But the Feast of Purim next year, on March 3rd, 2007, will be like no other. For there will be a total lunar eclipse on that exact date, visible from the whole Middle East. The moon represents the Messiah in Jewish Scripture, and it is significant that God hides the moon in darkness during this feast day, for if things continue the way they are going, this may be the signal to the Jewish nation that they are about to experience the worst persecution in the history of the world, until they repent and return to the true Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ).

Luke 21:25 
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Source Free Republic, Net Speed

In exchange for agreeing to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, US diplomats have done a "deal with the devil". Egypt agreed to back the referral if the US also backed a nuclear free Middle East. Israel has never admitted to possessing nuclear weapons, but it is widely believed that the nation of Israel would be indefensible if it hadn't the nuclear option. Muslim Arabs outnumber Israel 100-1, and with odds like that you need all the help you can get. 

Quote: "The move came after Washington compromised on a US-Egyptian dispute over linking fears about Teheran's atomic program to a Middle East nuclear-free zone - and indirectly to Israel. Diplomats said the Americans accepted mention of such a zone in the draft late in the night. A majority of board members back referral but possible delay had loomed after United States and Egypt tangled over linking the issue to long-standing Arab demands that Israel - generally considered a nuclear power - give up such arms.

Israel has stated it will not be the first country to use nuclear weapons in the region, but now it looks like this new agreement with America and Egypt will force Israel to dismantle its nuclear arsenal in exchange for peace with Iran, leaving the nation open to attack.

Psalm 124:1-3 
If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:  

Source Jerusalem Post

US Patent Number 5,878,155 describes a method of using Ultra Violet tattoos for the purpose of financial transactions and human identification. A unique barcode can be tattooed on the forearm using ink only visible under Ultra Violet light. The Patent was granted on March 2nd, 1999. 

Quote: "There have been other methods to permanently identify humans. During the holocaust, the Nazis tattooed the arms of Jews with a unique identifying number. On an episode of the "X-FILES," a fictional television program on the FOX television network, a human was abducted by aliens who conducted experiments on the abductee. In order to permanently tag the abductee, the aliens etched a unique bar code onto one of the abductee's teeth. Neither of these methods is practical for marking humans for electronic sale transaction purposes. First, social conscience dictates that any permanent marking of humans not be conspicuous, such as a visible numbering on an arm like the holocaust victims. Second, the bar code must be long enough, large enough, and accessible enough to make the transaction efficient. Thus bar codes on teeth would not be practical because of the limited size of the teeth and the embarrassment caused by sales personnel placing scanning equipment in a customer's mouth. There is, therefore, a need in the art for verifying the identity of humans by electronic means that facilitates the transaction of sales, particularly e-money, through computer networks. It is an object of the present invention to overcome problems in the prior art.

This is certainly an interesting article, and shows us just how close we are to the fulfilment of Revelation 13, the cashless society.

Revelation 13:16-17
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

But I am inclined to believe a solution like the VeriChip fits in with Revelation more closely. The Greek word for "mark" literally means a cutting of the flesh, and later in the book of Revelation, we find that grievous sores erupt in the flesh of all those who have taken the Mark of the Beast, signifying the failure of whatever implants they had received in their bodies.

Source US Patent Office

Quote: ""Just as important as the principle of freedom of expression are tolerance and respect for the faiths and religions which are at the basis of our democracy," said Solana in statements made to IRNA in Brussels. He also emphasized the need to calm down the situation. The EU foreign policy chief said he was in permanent contact with leaders and authorities in the Arab and Muslim world. 

He also stressed that this incident should not threaten the European Union's relations with Muslim states. But I wonder who will apologize to the millions of Christians that suffer daily persecution and death at the hands of Islam?  

Source Iran Mania

Watching the ITV news tonight (I couldn't find a related article on the web), several UK Muslims were interviewed regarding the controversy. This shocked me, as I was under the impression most Muslims in Britain held moderate beliefs. In the London demonstration, one Muslim protestor held up a placard reading that those who offend Mohammed ought to be beheaded. A news interviewer questioned another protestor, this time an Islamic leader, regarding his views on the "outrage". He stated several times that "Islam is coming", and "whether you like it or not, Islam will rule the world". Perhaps this is why the UK government is so afraid of offending Islam in this country, because Islam has inherent in its teaching a radical element that cannot be separated from the religion as a whole. Moderate Muslims are like nominal "Christians", they call themselves Christian, but they aren't saved and don't live the life. Observant Muslims must adhere to everything Islam teaches, including Jihad. The following quote comes from an online booklet from the UK Muslim Parliament organization.

Quote: "7. Jihad is a basic requirement of Islam and living in Britain or having British nationality by birth or naturalization does not absolve the Muslim from his or her duty to participate in Jihad. This participation can be active service in armed struggle abroad and/or the provision of material and moral support to those engaged in such struggle anywhere in the world...

Mr Tony Blair is deceiving the nation when he says Islam is a religion of peace. 

Source Muslim Parliament

Quote: ""There are many problems which require our more effective and active cooperation: the Middle East peace process, in particular Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan and the situation surrounding the Iranian nuclear program," Lavrov said at a reception for ambassadors from Organization of Islamic Conference member states. "We wish to see all these problems resolved fairly on the basis of international law and existing agreements," Lavrov said.

With the current impasse over the Iranian nuclear problem, which Russia itself helped create and continues to impede international consensus against the terrorist regime, further Russian involvement in the Middle East situation can only be bad for Israel. As proof of that statement, Israeli officials were shocked by Vladimir Putin's recent support for the new Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, suggesting that Russia had never regarded Hamas as a terrorist organization. 

Quote: "Commenting on Hamas's recent victory at the Palestinian legislative elections, Putin said Russia never declared Hamas a terrorist organization, although it never supported its actions. The West should not cut financial aid because of the Hamas s victory in the elections, he added.

It looks like the events spoken of in Ezekiel 38-39 may only be months away from coming to pass.

Source Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post

Quote: "Up to 300 militant Indonesian Muslims went on a rampage inside the lobby of a Jakarta building housing the Danish embassy on Friday in protest over cartoons that Muslims say insult Islam and the Prophet Mohammad. Shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest), the white-clad protesters from the hardline Islamic Defender's Front (FPI) smashed lamps with bamboo sticks and threw chairs around in anger at cartoons originally published by a Danish daily. They threw rotten eggs and tomatoes at the Danish embassy symbol and tore up a Danish national flag. The embassy is on the 25th floor of the building and protesters were unable to get past police inside the lobby, a Reuters photographer said. 

Western journalists and diplomats have also fled Gaza and the West Bank over fears they will become the victims of reprisals carried out by Islamic terror groups. A German teacher was kidnapped in Gaza yesterday, but was later released as protests by Islamic terrorists gathered pace.

Quote: "In Gaza, foreign diplomats and journalists began pulling out of the Palestinian areas and two countries closed diplomatic offices Thursday after masked Palestinian gunmen, incensed by the depictions of the prophet, threatened to kidnap foreigners. Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank searched several hotels for foreigners to kidnap, and in Nablus, they succeeded briefly, holding Christopher Kasten, 21, for less than an hour before Palestinian police rescued him unharmed.

Source Reuters, Jerusalem Post

Quote: "The EU has reached an agreement with Russia and China on the draft agreement on Iran which will be submitted in Vienna and discussed tomorrow, noted the EU foreign policy chief. "The resolution says that everything that will be discussed to be forwarded to the Security Council and that the Security Council not decide anything until the IAEA Governors have met in March," said Solana.

It's ironic. China and Russia are the nations that have helped produce this mess, and it seems they are determined to stall action for as long as possible. Israel believes Iran is just months away from completing its knowledge of how to create a nuclear weapon, and with IAEA inspections stopped, and international consensus in a deadlock, it's hard to see how the world can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons without some nation like Israel or the US going it alone. With Muslim sentiment against the EU currently running high regarding the cartoons, any EU proposal will just be perceived by Iran as further unwanted Western interference. 

Source Islamic Republic News Agency

Quote: "The gunmen called for an apology within 48 hours for the Danish cartoons, one of which shows the Prophet Mohammed wearing a turban shaped like a bomb. "This place is closed until the government makes an apology," a spokesman for the gunmen said.

Source Reuters, BBC 

Quote: "The European Union continues to be "concerned" about Israeli activities in and around east Jerusalem, including "settlement" expansion and demolition of Palestinian houses there, an official said Wednesday. Austrian Deputy Foreign Minister Hans Winkler told the European Parliament such activities contradict international law. Austria holds the rotating EU presidency.

The Bible states that the Eastern half of the capital will be taken by force during the tribulation period, and occupied for a space of three and a half years, until the return of Christ. 

Revelation 11:2 
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Source Jerusalem Post

Quote: "Al-Zahar also described Hamas' territorial aspirations: "Our education system will not represent Palestine [merely] as a coastal strip stretching from Rafah to Beit Hanoun [the Gaza Strip]," he stated. "Palestine means Palestine in its entirety - from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Jordan] River, from Ras Al-Naqura to Rafah. We cannot give up a single inch of it." Vowing to intensify education of youth to kill Israeli civilians, Al-Zahar discussed the reforms in the education system his group wishes to introduce: "Our ministry of culture will teach them [Arab children] how the martyr is turned into prose, literature, and poetry, and how a woman, who used to cook and do the laundry, turns into one of the heroes of Palestine."

Source Arutz 7

Quote: "Yifat Ehrlich, the owner of one of the destroyed homes, was interviewed on Israel Television. Asked about the fact that the State was destroying the buildings legally, she said, "This whole thing has nothing to do with law, but only with politics. The Supreme Court did not order the houses destroyed, but merely refrained from intervening in a political decision of the government. The government decided to destroy the buildings, in spite of the fact that we were in the midst of finalizing the purchase." 

With friends like the new "centrist" Israeli government, who needs enemies? It seems that even Israel is prepared to treat its own citizens, many of them observant Jews, just like terrorists. Like the situation in Northern Ireland, those who demand justice and an end to violence on both sides are seen as the enemies of peace, for refusing to compromise with the killers. Just a little more political pressure and Israel will be prepared to do anything and everything in order to achieve peace, including searing its own conscience. 

Source Arutz 7

Quote: "The European Parliament's recently passed resolution "Homophobia in Europe" has raised alarms among European pro-family groups, Christians and others who worry the measure is a move to cut off public debate over same-sex unions and force universal acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle. The controversial resolution urging member states to ban "homophobia" states that "homophobia can be defined as an irrational fear of and aversion to homosexuality and of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people based on prejudice, similar to racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and sexism."

While I am not "homophobic", this new resolution could force homosexual teaching into the classrooms across the European Union, regardless of whether parents agree with it or not. Christian groups teaching that homosexuality is sin could find themselves in court over incitement to hatred, and the Bible could be outlawed as hate-speech, and already has been by many gay-activist groups and pro-gay churches.

Source World Net Daily

An Australian poll has revealed a majority of Australians are now in favour of a having national ID card. These results are in stark contrast with the last time the country debated the implementation of such a scheme. Those groups that were found in favour of the card were youth and the elderly, while those opposed seemed to be comprised of the age group that would be most concerned about the infringements of freedom a national ID card would bring. The Australian government cited security fears and fraud as prime reasons for having a national ID card.

Quote: "A Newspoll conducted exclusively for The Australian last weekend found that 31 per cent of voters were opposed to the ID card, compared with 57 per cent against 19 years ago, when it could only muster the support of 39 per cent of the electorate. Newspoll found support for the card was strongest among those aged over 50, at 63 per cent, and Coalition supporters, 60 per cent. Among those over 50 there was the highest percentage of those "strongly in favour", at 37 per cent. Labor supporters had a slight majority in favour, 52 per cent, almost the same as those aged 35-49. The only group who did not give it majority support were those aged between 18 and 34, with 41 per cent in favour and 36 per cent against.

Although many Australians may be in favour of the card, at the present I believe most Americans and Britons are not. I think it will take another major terrorist attack on the scale of September 11th before the Western public will succumb to the governments' wishes to bring in a national ID scheme. The only way the general public will accept their civil liberties being infringed is if the governments' can terrify them into it.

Source The Australian

Christians and Muslim groups feel the bill would increase tension between faiths, and not tolerance. A pastor from Australia was campaigning in the UK against the Hate legislation, who fell foul of a similar law in his country after a visiting Muslim took offence at a seminar on Islam he was teaching to his own congregation. Many feel the Hate legislation is yet another sop to the Islamic community in Britain, to appease them over the mistakes made in Iraq.

The House of Lord's felt that the bill in its present form focused too much on the offended, rather than the offender. The bill might have outlawed street preaching in the United Kingdom, if a passer-by happened to take offence at something that was said. Those also seeking to justly criticize the beliefs of other faiths might quickly find themselves in court. The new amendments mean that an intention to stir up hatred will have to be proven by the accuser, whereas before the accuser only needed to prove an offence was caused.

Quote: "Mr Clarke claimed what had happened had been "a purely political act" by Tories, Lib Dems and members of his own side to defeat the government, rather than a genuine consideration of the issues in the bill. The bill was aimed at extending the concept of the UK's race hate laws to cover belief but critics said ministers' proposals would have made it too wide-reaching.

As usual, the Labour government demonstrates just how out of touch it is with the British public, claiming every defeat it suffers (last time over anti-terror legislation) is actually a political attack on the government. This is our Brave New Britain, courtesy of Tony Blair.

Source BBC