Monday, November 8, 2010

Jubilee on a Blast

Amidst what is now being dubbed the “Independence Bomb Blast (IBB)”, the 50th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence was nevertheless celebrated on October 1!
Forces opposed to the celebrations had gotten so desperate that they sent warnings to the government, about a week to the event, demanding that the celebrations be cancelled else, hell would be let loose. The warnings, sent by email, in the name of MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) claimed the developmental issues in the Niger Delta have still not been addressed and therefore no celebrations would be allowed. Of course, it is most strange that such an issue would be pressed so strongly now that an indigene of the Niger Delta, by sheer divine arrangement, is in the saddle of the nation’s affairs – and is poised to remain in that position with the approaching elections.
In any case, President GEJ dared the faceless MEND and continued with the celebrations. Finding the security at the Eagle’s Square too tight, the bomb blasters detonated two or three bombs about a kilometer away, at the cars parked along the roadside. About a dozen innocent Nigerians, mostly security personnel, died in the blasts.
Matters have clearly now come to a head, and the bomb blasters have probably bitten more than they intended to chew. Apparently, their calculation was that, if there were to be any blasts at all (i.e if the celebrations were not curtailed), no lives would be lost and then, going by the response of Nigerians to recent past bomb explosions, the matter would simply die a natural death without any investigations. In this case however, they have gone too far. A number of people are currently standing trials, both in Nigeria and in South Africa. And they are not being treated as freedom fighters at all, but rather, as the common cheap criminals they certainly are.
Going by the arrests made so far, (and the responses elicited) It is becoming clear that this “MEND” has virtually no presence or sympathy in the Niger Delta but is mainly built around a few individuals within and outside Nigeria. In fact, the “MEND” had written that the blast was to be a one-time event – suggesting lack of resources for a sustained militant campaign, which the real MEND was known for. There are other glaring differences in the modus operandi of this new MEND and the original one whose leaders, save Henry Okah, have embraced the amnesty programme of the FG. For instance, the real MEND operated in the Niger Delta creeks, devastating oil installations; but the new MEND operates in Abuja and targets, according to latest sms threats, President Jonathan’s campaign rallies! Curiously also, with the arrest of Charles Okah, (Henry’s brother), the new MEND has abruptly written to say it was stopping the popular email interviews with its official spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo - giving credence to the widely-believed notion that the man behind that pseudoname is none else but Charles!
Most certainly, nobody is fooled by the amateurish script that attempts to claim that the Independence Bomb Blasters were acting in the interest of the Niger Delta. Their action is clearly designed only to ridicule the President and spoil his chances (or Niger Delta’s, if you like) at the coming elections. The President was caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Cancelling the Jubilee celebrations (spiritual implications aside), would have finished him off politically: for every other major event he plans would be sure to receive a “MEND” threat demanding a cancellation! Of course, going ahead with the celebrations despite the threat also brought its own criticisms and problems.
The President actually got an initial dose of the political barrage the blasts were meant to open him up for. Even as the clouds from the blasts still hung in the air, the campaign office of Ibrahim Babangida issued a press statement suggesting that their supposedly wise and tough candidate is what the times demand. This is of course an utter balderdash, considering that it was precisely during IBB’s unfortunate past rule that bomb blasts were first introduced into Nigeria’s polity. In any case, with the government’s decision to treat the blasts as the pure crime that it was, and the establishment of a link between IBB’s campaign chief and the people arrested for the crime, those who would politicize the bombing are realizing they are in far deeper waters than they bargained for!
Amazingly, the bomb blasts could not stop the Jubilee celebrations. Apart from the foreign heads of government who had to leave, the ceremonies proceeded calmly to conclusion! President GEJ declared this as unprecedented and interpreted it as confirming the emergence of a new Nigeria.
We agree with him that the cross-over into Nigeria’s spiritual Jubilee has succeeded, despite the devil’s desperate efforts to force an abortion. And in his desperation, the Enemy has revealed his hands, perhaps prematurely. Imagine, for instance, if the bombers had only been able to exercise restraints until election time before initiating their blasts – targeting, for instance, INEC’s headquarters a few days to distribution of electoral materials, etc, etc? Now thankfully, and hopefully, the security people have received a long-enough notice and would be able to prevent such more fundamental disasters in the future.
Now that the Jubilee celebrations and proclamations have finally, forcefully happened, according to Leviticus 25:10, what remains is restoration and recovery. The horses can now take their rest while the Nigerian eagle begins to soar (reference to our Coats of Arms!)
We however hasten to remind Christians of the situation in Daniel 9. After Daniel had understood through the Scriptures that the time of liberty for his people had come, he took action in serious waiting upon the LORD. And even when it appeared as if nothing was happening, he persisted until the devil’s desperate last-ditch ploy to block the already released answer was thoroughly thrashed and vanquished! May we not give up until we fully realize the promised blessings of our Jubilee, this season!
The next critical battle field is the coming elections. As counseled by that revered man of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, we must all be ready to get registered, to vote for our candidates of choice, and significantly, also to prepare to defend our votes. Our time is now. God bless Nigeria!

Human resource appreciates in Nigeria at Jubilee

One of the solid evidences that Nigeria’s rising has indeed commenced at Jubilee is the remarkable appreciation of human resource in the country. Patriots like Oby Ezekwesili (while minister of education) had declared that Nigeria’s human resource, if well developed (through education), far exceeds all other resources – oil, solid minerals, etc all combined (see CA! Vol 10 No 1). To the glory of God this is beginning to become apparent. First, by divine providence, we have at the very top echelon, a President and Vice President with post graduate degrees – showing that such degrees can now compete favourably with the awesome military “psc” (pass staff college) which was the common denominator between (virtually) all our past rulers. Also, for the crucial assignment of conducting an extra-delicate election, it was again to the nation’s intelligentsia that the task was thrown. Apparently, the close rapport between the newly chosen INEC chair and the Nigerian academia (he was a sitting Vice Chancellor and an outstanding ex-president of the national academic staff union), weighed considerably in his being given the highly strategic job. Even if informally, there is currently a massive deployment of University people, former armchair critics, in the planning and execution of the unfolding political process. As for the field work, Nigerian graduate youths participating in the National Youth Service Corps scheme are being penciled for the onerous tasks.
The big deal about all this development is that human capital is at last rapidly gaining value in Nigeria. Such a spirit confirms that the gains of Jubilee are real and will endure.

Boko Haram Confirms Link With Al-Qaeda . Iranian weapons seized in Nigeria

The Muslim Fundamentalist group, Boko Haram has confirmed that it is now operating under the umbrella of Al-Qaeda. In posters that flooded the city of Maiduguri, pasted on the evening of Thursday 21st October, the group threatened to continue with its serial killings in Borno and other adjoining states in the North. Significantly, the posters featured the logo of al-Qaeda in the North Africa – an open Quran, flanked on each side by Kalashnikov assault rifles and a flag in the middle.
According to the Saturday Tribune of October 23, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had earlier in the month carried an interview with a spokesperson of Boko Haram in Maiduguri, where the group demanded they be granted amnesty, such as was accorded Niger-Delta militants.
Meanwhile, a cache of sophisticated weapons was intercepted by vigilant security at Lagos Port, late October. An international twist was introduced when Israeli security announced that the weapons, which originated from Iran, were actually meant for Gaza and were only being passed enroute Nigeria. Apparently the Iranians were still thinking of pre-Jubilee Nigeria where anything goes! In those days, it might not have taken more than a phone call from Arabia land to the Nigerian Presidency before the cache would have been cleared for re-export, as the people involved were reportedly trying to do.

Iranian Pastor sentenced to death

For objecting to Christian school students (including his own children) being forced by the Iranian state to read the Qu’ran, Rev Youcef Nadarkhani has been sentenced to death! According to Worthy News, Rev Nadarkhani, who led the largest church network in Rasht, Iran, was arrested on Oct. 13 . Following a kangaroo trial, he was originally sentenced to be executed on Oct. 24. But this has now been temporarily deferred; while intensive pressure is being mounted on him to recant his Christianity and return to Islam. Nadarkhani is the father of two children, both under the age of ten.(More details at www.worthynews.com/9716-execution-of-iranian-pastor-delayed)

51 Iraqi worshipers killed during Sunday Church Service.

Fifty-one Christian worshipers (and later on, seven Iraqi commandos) were killed in an attack on an Assyrian Christian Church in Karrada, central Baghdad on Sunday October 31. Rev. Wassem Sabeeh was delivering the sermon when blasting sounds were heard. Some heavily-armed men in military fatigues stepped in through the blasted door and calmly started to shoot the worshippers - beginning with the Priest. "They were well trained," Bassam Sami, 21, one of the survivors said. "They didn't say anything. It was like someone had cut out their tongues."
Sensing trouble with the initial blasting sounds, Rev Sabeeh had quietly began ushering parishioners into a fortified room in the rear of the church. However, according to Sami, one of the assailants discovered the room and tossed in a grenade.
Shortly after 9 p.m., after realizing that hostages had been executed, a team of U.S.-trained Iraqi commandos stormed into the church from all sides. At least five suicide bombers detonated explosives, killing seven of the troops. The al-Qaeda in Iraq, in an internet message, claimed responsibility for the carnage. They believe they are fighting for God, and the zombified suicide bombers have been assured by their religion of a straight passage to heaven - with 70 virgins for each!
Details in http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/01/AR2010110104420_2.html?sid=ST2010110104430

Learn on our Dime: Condoms promote HIV infections

A number of people living with HIV/AIDS have revealed that they were infected with HIV through the use of condoms six years ago. ThisDay newspaper reports that “the women among them also claimed they were lured into the use of the Cellulose Sulphate Gel for the supposed prevention of vaginal HIV infection.” ((http://www.thisdayonline.com/)
Presenting their case at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, the group claimed “that Nigerian authorities in collaboration with some international organisations like the Family Health International (FHI), Population Services International (PSI), Korea based U Need US Corporation and United States based Contraceptive Research Development (CONRAD) used them as guinea pigs to test some condoms that were new in the market. In the wake of this development, they claimed they contacted HIV.”
Apart from their sad experience at the hands of internationally-funded sex-promoting NGOs (in collusion with unscrupulous and naïve government officials), the plaintiffs further supported their claim by referring to a report by the New England Journal of Medicine which affirmed that “Cellulose sulfate did not prevent HIV infection and may have increased the risk of HIV acquisition”.
The plaintiffs are therefore praying the Court to declare that the approval of condom and its advertisement by the defendants as preventing HIV when used for sexual intercourse is deceptive and fraudulent. In particular, they want the implementation of the national policy on HIV, endorsing the use of condoms, to be suspended. Justice Gladys Olotu has adjourned the matter till January 20, 2011 for further hearing.
Of course, as we have pointed out several times, it is elementary to see that the use of condoms will encourage more promiscuous sex and therefore guarantees more HIV infections as the population of sexually active people swells up. By the same logics, it is clear that legalizing/mainstreaming abortion, while providing safer abortions, will nevertheless result in more abortion-related deaths. For more on condoms (carcinogenicity, permeability to deadly microorganisms, etc, see CA! Vol 8 No 1.)

Repelled: New Sexuality assaults on US Military – Ban on gay and abortion remain

A desperate effort by new sexuality folks to push through fundamental changes in the US military suffered a major setback on Tuesday 21 Sept. On that day, the US Senate voted to retain the policy requiring homosexuals serving in the US military to keep their sexual preference to themselves. Actually, the Pentagon has set up a committee studying the possible impact the repeal of the 17-year old law known as "don't ask, don't tell", DADT could have on the military. That report is due on December 1. However, the gay lobby is impatient, especially as it fears that Democrats are likely to lose seats in the upcoming congressional elections in November. This would make repealing the ban even more difficult — if not impossible — next year.
Democrats had included the repeal provision in a $726 billion defense policy bill, incorporating a number of popular programs including a pay raise for the troops and the opportunity for immigrants who join the military to be granted US citizenship. These however did not stop the Republicans from rallying together, and with a few supports from some Democrats, at least temporarily trouncing the bill.
Conservative groups hailed the vote as a victory for the troops. "At least for now they will not be used to advance a radical social agenda," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/USGaysMilitary/2010/09/21/id/371077.
Earlier, very many American organizations, including the influential Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, had raised strong objections against the sought repeal. According to the Commission, repealing DADT would strain American forces, weaken troop morale, and compel countless chaplains to leave the services.

Abortion Agenda also thrashed!
Also receiving thumbs down from the US Senate was an amendment to a bill that would allow elective abortions on military facilities in the United States and abroad. Despite powerful lobbies by a few “Change Agents” to further their nauseating agenda in the United States, the opposition from the larger civil society was rock steady against this agenda.
Over 200 physicians who have ministered to US service members signed a letter to members of the Senate protesting the Burris amendment, so called after its sponsor, Roland Burris. According to the 16,000-member Christian Medical Association which organized the letter: "If enacted, requiring military physicians to perform abortions threatens military readiness. Morale will suffer among those already serving. Morale is a key component of military effectiveness." According to CMA Senior Vice President Gene Rudd, MD. "Furthermore, just as we have seen a marked decrease in young doctors entering OB/GYN training for fear of being forced to do abortion, this requirement will discourage young doctors from joining the military." (refer to last edition of Church Arise! to see the people powering this agenda!)
Former President Bill Clinton allowed abortions to be performed on military bases from 1993-1996. This prompted all military physicians and many nurses and support personnel to refuse to perform, or even assist, in performing abortions.

Update on DADT: As has become the practice, however, whenever the ultra liberal elements in the US fail to get their ways in changing the Law, they rush to the Courts where they have dozens of sympathetic judges (fellow liberals) willing to help them attempt to change how the Law should be interpreted. Swiftly, after the US Senate’s big blow to DADT, Federal court judge Virginia Phillips has ruled that the policy is unconstitutional and ordered the Pentagon to “immediately suspend and discontinue any investigation, or discharge, separation or other proceeding” against any military personnel under DADT. The Pentagon promptly filed an appeal but agreed to abide with the ruling till the appeal is cleared.

China forces woman to abort 8-month pregnancy

Chinese authorities continue to implement the nation’s one-child-per-family law with religious zeal. In one of the latest actions reported in the PM news of October 22, about a dozen government officials broke into the home of Luo Yanquan and his wife Xiao Aiying in Siming, on China’s east coast on October 10. According to Luo, “they held her hands behind her back and pushed her head against the wall and kicked her in the stomach, I don’t know if they were trying to give her a miscarriage”. The 36 year old Xiao was then taken to a hospital where she was injected with a drug to kill the unborn baby. Xiao was already 8 months pregnant at the time.
China’s strict family planning policy results in an estimated 13 million abortions every year and violators stand being fined up to 25,000 pounds sterling. See related news at Vol 10 no 3 and vol 10 no 6.

AHMADINEJHAD AT THE UN: Only The Coming Mahdi Can Save The World

He denies that the holocaust ever happened, claims that the 9-11 terrorism was not carried out by Moslems but rather Americans intent on protecting Israel (and that no Jew died in the explosions), etc etc. With such easily disproved fallacies, Ahmadinejhad truly deserves to be called - like someone insisted is the correct pronunciation of the name - “I’m mad in ze head”.
But then there is still some method to the madness of this man!
All his rhetoric about the US and Zionism, etc, began by his claiming that the current world order has failed because mankind has forsaken spirituality for materialism, especially capitalism. And in his conclusion, he proffered what he sees as the only solution, the coming together of religions to prepare the grounds for the literal return of the Mahdi to this planet. The Mahdi (who was the 12th Imam) supposedly disappeared in the year 941 as a child; but is supposedly living in seclusion since them, ready to appear to save the world in these end times .
According to Ahmadinejhad: “Reforming the world's affairs and bringing about tranquility and prosperity requires the participation of all, pure thoughts and the divine and humane management….The complete human, the true servant of God and the true friend of the mankind whose father was from the generation of the beloved Prophet of Islam and whose mother was from the true believers of the Jesus Christ, shall wait along with Jesus the son of Mary and the other righteous to appear on those brilliant times and assist the humanity. In welcoming them we should join ranks and seek justice.”
Without any doubts, the Iranian president is hopelessly confused in his theology. Scriptures and currently unfolding world events clearly show that the man he is waiting for is none other than the antichrist (same as occultists Avatar, Hindu’s Maitreya, Catholic’s “Mary”.grand master, or World Teacher,The Coming One, etc, see Vol 9 No 1 and Vol 10 No 1). But say, how many of our Christian heads of government would dare proclaim from the UN podium the soon-coming Jesus Christ as the only ultimate hope of the world? Even supposed Christian pastors sing different tunes when they get to the UN (see a refreshingly different situation in Nigeria’s Pastor E.A. Adeboye at last year’s UN summit, Vol 12 No 5).
Speaking out at the UN apart, even in their minds alone, how many Christian political leaders would dare to refrain from embracing policies that have to be “tolerated” simply because “there is no other option”. Of course expecting a direct intervention by the Lord Jesus Christ would not qualify as an “intelligent” option! Hence, even though the many risks associated with genetical tinkering with life are well known, not to talk of the real possibility of having all mankind subservient to a few who hold the patents to new “improved” seeds, genetic engineering of foods continue to foray into sacred grounds, all because, “there are no other options”. Likewise, homosexuality must be embraced and recommended to young people so that sexual needs could be “met” without increasing the population burden of mankind because “there are no other options”. The list is of course inexhaustible, but we mention one more: Jerusalem, the ancient Jewish capital today “NEEDS” to be partitioned in order to bring about some man-made peace in the Middle East, because “there are no other options”. All these evil compromises are eagerly embraced by the world today simply because it is inconceivable that some help can come from above.
The Ahmadinejhads of this world clearly expose the mortal danger in unbridled ecumecism and inter-faithism. Spirituality without a sound doctrine on the person and ministry of Jesus is mortal danger. (see 1 Jhn 4:2-3 ). Ahmadinejhad with all his spirituality is no saner than the atheist described in Psa 14:1 and 53:1
All these “do- small-evil- to- prevent- bigger- evil” philosophy will fly in the face of a belief that the good Lord, the eternal Creator will do what He has promised in His words, not to abandon the world to decay. Prior to His ultimate physical and literal return, He has put the Church here on earth to salt the earth and occupy for Him. The Church needs to sound it loud and clear that the only way of escape for the world is in following the clear directions set out in God’s word (the Holy Bible); and expecting the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ . From the Scriptures, we expect the manifestation of the antichrist ( Mahdi, Avatar, etc etc), will coincide with the rapture of the Church, the event that removes the restraint placed on the antichrist (2 Thess. 2:6-9)
See Full text of Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s speech at UN here (http://www.worthynews.com/9464-full-text-of-president-ahmadinejads-speech-at-un).

Scientific Tsunami: Radioactive Half-lives can change!

"It doesn't make sense according to conventional ideas." The Stanford Report of August 23, 2010 was quoting physicist Ephraim Fischbach of Purdue University whose team in collaboration with another team from Stanford University, had found easily measurable changes in the radioactive decay rate of a number of radioactive isotopes. Despite a number of previously established evidences that radioactive decay rates could change, the official scientific establishment had continued to restrict such findings into highly specialized journals, claiming that the situations producing such changes don’t exist outside special laboratory conditions which are practically unrealizable in real life.
The Stanford University News gave a brief history of the new developments: “It's a mystery that presented itself unexpectedly….. As the researchers pored through published data on specific isotopes, they found disagreement in the measured decay rates – odd for supposed physical constants.” According to co-author Peter Sturrock, emeritus professor of applied physics at Stanford, "Everyone thought it must be due to experimental mistakes, because we're all brought up to believe that decay rates are constant,"
However, in a series of papers published in Astroparticle Physics, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research and Space Science Reviews, Jenkins, Fischbach and their colleagues showed that the observed variations in decay rates were highly unlikely to have come from environmental influences on the detection systems. All of the evidence points toward a conclusion that the sun is "communicating" with radioactive isotopes on Earth, said Fischbach.
Even with this admission, efforts are being made to downplay the significance, with emphases being laid on practical implications in radiotherapy and prediction of solar flares. The big deal however would have to be with respect to radioactive dating techniques. Though the Purdue University News Service reports that the team has not yet examined isotopes used for dating of ancient artifacts, it nevertheless quickly dismissed outright, the possibility of any major impact: "The fluctuations we're seeing are fractions of a percent and are not likely to radically alter any major anthropological findings," Fischbach was quoted.
The key issue however is that the central assumption in radioactive dating - the constancy of radioactive decay rates – is now shown as not inviolate, as previously held. This, at least, demands that what credible organizations like the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) have been saying over the years must now be taken more seriously by mainstream science.
Brian Thomas of ICR commented on this development: “If the assumption of a constant rate is incorrect, then conclusions built upon that assumption are suspect, including certain dates assigned to artifacts and earth materials. This actually does not surprise those scientists willing to investigate the possibility that radioactive decay rates are, in fact, not stable. For example, it has been reported that dates for the same rock from different nuclear decay systems are usually discordant. Also, whenever rocks that were witnessed forming--as when lava hardens--were later dated with methods that depend on these supposedly constant rates, they were always "dated" orders of magnitude older than the known, actual age.” (http://www.icr.org/article/sun-alters-radioactive-decay-rates/).
An example of the latter situation Brian was referring to, was a series of volcanic eruptions observed to have occurred in 1941, 1954 ad 1975. Dating igneous rocks formed from the ash however, reputable laboratories using the conventional assumption of constant radioactive decay rates, concluded that the eruptions occurred as early as 3.5 million years ago!
In conclusion, Brian wrote: “The implications of inconsistent decay rates in radioactive elements are vast. And those inconsistencies are real, calling into question evolutionists' adamant assertions of an ancient age for the earth.” Please see our tract, Radiometry Dating and the Age of the Earth at http://www.churcharise.org/articles/Tract - Radiometry Dating and the Age of the Earth.docx for related information.

Scientific Evidence indicates Mother of all humans lived 6000 years ago. But that’s unreasonable, or is it?

The mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, is a loop of DNA that is passed from mother to child in every generation. Geneticists have been exploring the intriguing information about mankind's past contained in this molecule to attempt to determine how much changes had occurred between the DNA of the first human mother (named “Mitochondrial Eve”) and her offspring today; and also to deduce how long ago was she here on earth.
Like every dating method, there must be some inherent assumptions, especially with respect to the rate of change in the physical process being used. In this case, the rate of mutation in the DNA is central to arriving at a date for Mitochondrial Eve. However, according to an article published in the evolutionary journal Science in 1998, evolutionary scientists had to reject the clear evidences suggesting a new mutation rate than what was being used at the time – the reason being that the clear scientific evidence “did not make any sense.” In the words of the writer: “Regardless of the cause, evolutionists are most concerned about the effect of a faster mutation rate. For example, researchers have calculated that "mitochondrial Eve"--the woman whose mtDNA was ancestral to that in all living people—lived 100,000 to 200,000 years ago in Africa. Using the new clock, she would be a mere 6000 years old. No one thinks that's the case..”
ICR’s Brian Thomas concludes: “So, to align the age with current evolutionary theories of human origins, subsequent calculations have started with assumptions that ensure at the outset that Mitochondrial Eve would have lived more than 100,000 years ago.”
But the best available data being obtained today are still most consistent with the earlier studies that showed that the age of Mitochondrial Eve coincided well with the biblical age of the historical Eve.
For example, a 2008 study of the mitochondrial chromosome found that, quite surprisingly, only 21.6 nucleotides - out of 16,569--DNA differences exist between modern DNA and the consensus DNA for Eve. Going by what is known about mutation rates over the years, according to Brian Thomas, this clearly indicated that “ a much shorter time than "200,000 years" must have transpired since Mitochondrial Eve arrived on the scene.” (For details and references, see http://www.icr.org/article/mother-all-humans-lived-6000-years/)

New Scientific Finding: Winds could indeed have parted the Red Sea

A strong east wind that blew through the night could indeed have pushed the waters of the red sea back – just as described in the Bible, U.S. researchers reported on 21 Sept 2010.
Computer simulations, part of a larger study on how winds affect water, show wind could push water back at a point where a river bent to merge with a coastal lagoon, said the team at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Colorado at Boulder.
"The simulations match fairly closely with the account in Exodus," said Carl Drews of the research center.
"The parting of the waters can be understood through fluid dynamics. The wind moves the water in a way that's in accordance with physical laws, creating a safe passage with water on two sides and then abruptly allowing the water to rush back in."
Watch the fascinating animation of the model at the website of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. (http://www2.ucar.edu/news/parting-waters-computer-modeling-applies-physics-red-sea-escape-route%20and%20www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0012481)
It shows that a wind of 63 mph, blowing steadily for 12 hours, could have pushed back waters 6 feet (2 metres) deep. "This land bridge is 3-4 km (2 to 2.5 miles) long and 5 km (3 miles) wide, and it remains open for 4 hours," they wrote in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE.
http://www.worthynews.com/top/newsmax-com-Newsfront-red-sea-moses-parting-2010-09-21-id-371046/ .
Incredible as it might appear, the omnipotent Creator and Sustainer of all things, is able to instigate whatever is required to bring deliverance to those who will choose to trust in Him and ask His help – just at the nick of time!

T V a time waster, a mind destroyer

A new survey, which was conducted on 3,925 men and women who participated in an earlier study, has established that extensive viewing of television can have a negative impact on mental health.
The group that viewed more than four hours of television a day proved to have the highest level of mental health problems. But those who watched TV for less than two hours a day had the lowest level of mental health issues. Even though the research was conducted using adults, Family Research Council (FRC) spokesman Peter Sprigg thinks these findings ought to send a loud message to parents.
Read the rest of the story at: www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1176500). Charlie Butts in the article, concludes: “Avoiding television would allow family members to spend more quality time each other, according to Sprigg -- and would also open up more time for reading, exercise, and other activities.”

Social Gospel gulping up the True Gospel in the US

Two important recent developments in the US underscore the increasing shifting and sifting of the Good News from a message that brings salvation to the total man, beginning from his spirit and working outwards to the soul and body; to one that focuses entirely on the body – and seeking to effect the change by means and methods developed by man.
First is the reluctant admittance by leader of the “progressive Christian” Sojourners movement, Pastor Jim Wallis, that he, over the years, accepted funding from leftist atheist billionaire George Soros. What communion could there possibly be between Belial and Christ! Pastor Wallis, after prior vehement denials of receiving funding from a non-christian group, made a volte-face turn around - when confronted with hard evidences. He thereafter declared that he had no apology for at least three documented grants, totaling about $325,000 he got from Soros’ Open Society Institute. Wallis, who is the new adopted spiritual mentor of Barack Obama (following the US President’s forced denunciation of Rev Wright at the heat of the US elections in 2008), told Christianity Today: "I have no apologies for taking a donation …from Open Society. We'd do it again."
George Soros is known for his strong views and supports for abortion rights, euthanasia and re-definition of marriage contrary to established Judeo-Christian values. (For more on this, see www.americanthinker.com/2010/08/soros_has_a_pastor_close_to_ob.html). He is sometimes referred to as Judas Iscariot, he being a Jew that is stridently anti-Israel. See his latest donation, largely to undermine Israel’s interest, at www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/139596.
A second even more alarming development, reflecting the increasing subordination of the Gospel to man-made social gospel, is the arrival of a new spokesperson for Christian orthodoxy in America – the Mormon Gleck Beck.
At a rally at the base of the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, 28th August, 2010, Glenn Beck (who is a Fox news commentator with enormous followership in the US) assembled some top evangelical celebrities to give testimonies, after which he preached about “a God and country revivalism that leaves the evangelicals cheering that they’ve heard the gospel…” (http://www.russellmoore.com/2010/08/29/god-the-gospel-and-glenn-beck/
While everybody is obviously entitled to their opinions, and efforts seeking to promote godliness and sanity in society obviously should be applauded, the issue is the engulfing of the Gospel by this new social gospel. As we have pointed out several times previously, individuals who wish - no matter their faiths or lack of faith - might indeed validly join forces to address social issues, say through an NGO. However, it is extremely dangerous to do so on the platform of faiths, thereby suggesting that some issues are more urgent or important than purity of faith! For Christianity, where faith is everything, this is nothing less than a death knell! For a feel of the intense debate on Glenn Becks assuming the position of official spokesperson for evangelical Christianity in the US, see http://www.bible-prophecy-today.com/2010/08/open-letter-concerning-glenn-beck.html. Also the radio discussion: Are Christians selling their soul for patriotism? - Jan Markell, Brannon Howse, Eric Barger, and Ed Decker Discuss the Glenn Beck Issue. http://olivetreeviews.org/radio/mp3/
For those who are only familiar with the neat and proper white and black dressing of Mormons (aka Church of the Latter Days Saints), part of their core beliefs is that God was once a human like us (starting off from one of a named planet); and that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers of this God. See Vol 8 No 4 or http://saintsalive.com/ for more on Mormon teachings.

Researchers Using Rat-Robot Hybrid to Design Better Brain Machine Interfaces

Researchers from the University of Tokyo are showcasing a hybrid creature, half robot, half rat, which they appropriately call the RatCar. This is a rat-vehicle experiment they hope could lead to improved mobility for people with disabilities, such as total limb paralyses.
Presenting the prototype at the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society annual conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the researchers from University of Tokyo explained that “The objective was to make the vehicle collaborate with the rats to achieve the locomotion they desire.” In order words, the vehicle responds to the desires or simple will of the rat and move around appropriately.
"We wanted to develop a brain-machine interface system aiming for future wheelchairs that paralyzed patients can control only with thought," says Osamu Fukayama of the university's Medical Engineering and Life Science Laboratory. "RatCar is a simplified prototype to develop better electrodes, devices, and algorithms for those systems."
Unlike some brain-machine interface, or BMI, devices that rely on noninvasive EEG to detect neural activity, the RatCar works through direct contact with the brain. Other researchers have used this technique in getting rats to control robotic grippers and monkeys to control computer cursors and even advanced robot arms (see CA! Vol 10 No 6)
All these are further direct evidences that implanted microchips can easily provide an interface between the human mind and the outside world. Actually scientists are becoming more forthright in admitting to such mind-reading capability. Indeed in a recent story in the UK, brain implants for people in coma for the explicit purpose of reading their mind was being promoted (www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1324446/Scientist-hope-record-dreams.html) . In reality, not only will it be possible to know what is going on in implanted people’s mind, thoughts and desires can actually be inputted there from the outside world. Isn’t that what’s called robots? No wonder the Bible concludes people who receive the mark of the beast (which we believe the microchip implant is preparatory for) are irreversibly sold to the ultimate controller of that technology – the antichrist! (see Rev 14:9-10, and the Topical issue on page 8 of this edition)
See Also:
• Cyborg Fly Pilots Mobile Robot www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA0Pveu1V6M
• Rat, Monkey, and Man Control Robots With Their Minds
(As brain-machine interfaces become more advanced, so do the devices they can control) http://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/medical-robots/rat-monkey-and-man-control-robots-with-their-minds/0
• Robot Bacteria Builds Pyramid www.robotliving.com/2010/09/03/robotic-bacteria-build-tiny-pyramid/

MK ULTRA AND OTHER MIND-CONTROL EFFORTS

For those who disagree with the Biblical record that the heart of the natural (unregenerated) man is “desperately wicked”; and so would want to give the benefit of doubts to those developing and promoting microchip implants in humans, we refer to the now declassified documents on the MK ULTRA project officially commissioned by the by CIA in the 1950s.
The extent of the evils committed in attempting to perfect the science of controlling the mind of humans was such that the CIA director in 1973 ordered that all documents relating to the Project be destroyed. However, following dogged efforts by some interested individuals (mainly victims), armed with a sort of court ruling (FOIA request), a cache of about 20,000 documents that had survived the 1973 destruction order, having been mis-sorted, were found. In a subsequent Senate public hearing in 1977, sworn testimonies were received from key actors yet alive, in the MKULTRA experiments. The proceeding of this hearing can be downloaded freely at www.blackvault.com/documents/remoteviewing/hearing/hearing0.htm
For a helpful summary however, it might suffice to just visit Wikipaedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MKULTRA. As explained in Wikipaedia, “ Project MKULTRA, or MK-ULTRA, was the code name for a covert, illegal CIA human research program, run by the Office of Scientific Intelligence. This official U.S. government program began in the early 1950s, continuing at least through the late 1960s, and it used U.S. and Canadian citizens as its test subjects. The published evidence indicates that Project MKULTRA involved the use of many methodologies to manipulate individual mental states and alter brain function, including the surreptitious administration of drugs and other chemicals, sensory deprivation, isolation, and verbal and sexual abuse.”
One 1955 MKULTRA document gives an indication of the size and range of the effort (which involved the deployment of biological, chemical and radiological substances). Involved (among many others) were:
• Substances which will promote illogical thinking and impulsiveness to the point where the recipient would be discredited in public.
• Materials and physical methods which will produce amnesia for events preceding and during
• Substances which will produce "pure" euphoria with no subsequent let-down.
• Substances which alter personality structure in such a way that the tendency of the recipient to become dependent upon another person is enhanced.
• A material which will cause mental confusion of such a type that the individual under its influence will find it difficult to maintain a fabrication under questioning.
• Substances which will lower the ambition and general working efficiency of men when administered in undetectable amounts.
• Substances which promote weakness or distortion of the eyesight or hearing faculties, preferably without permanent effects.
If, as far back as 1955, government officials have been seeking capabilities as the ones expressed above, one can only imagine how far they have gone; and what the goals today might be. (For a teaser, see “True confessions of a mindbender” in Vol 9 No 6).
Wikipaedia actually documents that “Although the CIA insists that MKULTRA-type experiments have been abandoned, 14-year CIA veteran Victor Marchetti has stated in various interviews that the CIA routinely conducts disinformation campaigns and that CIA mind control research continued. In a 1977 interview, Marchetti specifically called the CIA claim that MKULTRA was abandoned a "cover story."
Indeed, reading through the proceedings of the 1977 hearings, it is clear that while the CIA is quick to denounce the continued use of drugs and chemicals to achieve mind control functions in humans, it did not rule out the use of other methods – such as microchip implants, to achieve this objective which is considered fundamental to the organization.
In Vol 11 No 4, we pointed out the significant fact that British pioneer microchip implant enthusiast, Kevin Warwick is now collaborating with the US DARPA in developing a far more advanced microchip implant (the MMEA) than the typical Verichip implant that is the subject of most public debate.
For an indication of the depths of depravity involved in the UKULTRA project, read the account of one of the victims of government mind-control efforts here (CIA MK-ULTRA Experiments on Mind-Controlled Children. Carol Rutz's Lecture at Indiana University in November 2003. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_License) . A Conference on MKULTRA actually held at the beginning of the year (Feb 13-14 in the US, http://peacepink.ning.com/events/mk-ultra-mind-control). It is absolutely scary, seeing what human organizations are capable of doing – even to their own citizens, including children. Yet, as horrendous as this is, it should be noted that this is only the westernized version. The extent of what could be happening at the Russian, Chinese or Korean ends would then be simply unimaginable.
The quest for the ultimate mind-controlling agent can simply not end, even only just on account of rivalry between the world’s secret agencies. Of course, ultimately, the brain behind the drive is none else than the antichrist, who needs the technology to attempt his total take-over of God’s world, and turn God’s creatures in rebellion against their Maker. The Church is the only agent capable of stalling and frustrating these plans. But we must remain vigilant as we occupy, awaiting the glorious return of our King!